Butterfly Effect
by Five seas
Summary: Cain Heel has brought up the darkness in Ren, and it's clear he needs some help defeating it. So the president decides it's time to bring in the big guns and get him together with Kyoko once and for all. Kyoko/Ren
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat! I do wish, however, that we'd get more regular manga updates!**

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><p>"<em>We interrupt your regular program for some breaking news. We have just learned that Japan's top actor Tsuruga Ren has gotten into a car crash…"<em>

**Car Crash Sends Actor to Hospital**

**#1 Guy in the Entertainment Industry Lands Himself in Hospital**

…_Last night around 21 o'clock, the star of Dark Moon and leading man of Japan's Entertainment Industry Tsuruga Ren was in a car crash. LME spokesmen have assured us that while Tsuruga-san was held down in the hospital, his recovery will be short and he will be back on his feet soon. Initial reports suggest that the reason for the accident was the storm that hit Tokyo earlier that day, but our sources suggest that Tsuruga-san may not have been entirely sober when behind the wheel…_

**DRUNK DRIVING? Will Tsuruga Get Away?**

**Police Neither Deny Nor Confirm Rumors**

**Has Tsuruga Ren Finally Lost His Cool?**

The headlines were everywhere. She couldn't turn around without them blazing across her line of vision and branding in her brain. Kyoko had been up since 4 and, quite frankly, after a whole morning, she was pretty sick of trying to avoid them. Sadly, the only way she could get rid of them was by setting fire to every news stand in Tokyo and short circuiting the news and radio grid, and she was pretty sure that qualified as felony.

She sighed. It was chaos, and she hadn't even gotten to LME yet. The media had been buzzing about it since last night, and everywhere she went, people were discussing the accident, stipulating, wondering, weighing theories… In short, doing everything but putting her mind at rest.

Kyoko, of course, had been on the phone as soon as she heard - talking to the President, Yashiro… even Kanae, who usually gave her grief about calling her at inappropriate times, had been sympathetic.

"_Accidents happen,"_ Kanae had said. _"Nobody's dead, so that's the important thing."_

Accidents happen… so why had Yashiro been so vague on the phone? Kyoko had had to threaten him so that he could tell her the extent of Ren's injuries, even though he knew she wouldn't rest until she was satisfied.

Not that she had slept anyway, but still… he usually told her everything.

_No,_ Kyoko thought. _If I have to be honest, that's not what's bothering me. _

She wanted to see Tsuruga-san herself. To see with her own two eyes that he was fine, in body and in soul. But Yashiro wouldn't hear of her coming over, and she doubted he'd be more sympathetic now. He'd been adamant that she wouldn't pass the threshold of the hospital, and if Yashiro, cool, gentle Yashiro, didn't want her coming, then the situation must have been really bad. So bad, in fact, that some lowly kouhai couldn't be permitted.

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><p>President Lori was a man of many virtues, but subtlety and demureness were not among them. The man simply couldn't go to a place without drawing all the attention to himself – it was just what he did. So when he came to the meeting wearing a suit and tie and didn't even bring a marching band to play the "Godfather" theme for him, Yashiro knew he was really in trouble.<p>

"Well?" he asked as soon as the doors to his office closed. "How is he?"

Yashiro didn't need clarification as to whom they were talking about. "Physically, he's fine. Mentally, he's a wreck."

That was the simplest way to put it, though hardly the best to describe it. Ren hadn't just been quiet – he'd been dead to the world. Much like that incident on the set of Dark Moon, he'd just frozen, only this time he had been responsive enough to convince the doctors he wasn't hemorrhaging. But whenever Yashiro had tried talking to him, asking for an explanation, he'd shut down again. Like he had been through Hell and wasn't sure he was out yet.

"Did he tell you what happened?" the president asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"No. They found no traces of alcohol in his bloodstream," Yashiro said, and then ventured, "He seemed miserable."

"Yes, I imagine he would be," President Lori said, leaning back into his chair. Yashiro wanted to ask what he meant, but he continued before the question was posed, "This is not to be borne, Yashiro-san."

"No, president."

"Has he said anything, has he given any indication as to why he was so reckless?"

Yashiro sighed.

"I don't know. I was hoping you'd have an idea."

The President smiled. "You're a bright lad, aren't you, Yashiro-san?"

"I hope so," he replied coolly.

"But can you be trusted?"

"Of course!" Yashiro flushed bright red. "I've been Ren's manager for four years! I know him better than anyone!"

"You know Tsuruga Ren. Do you know the person he was before that? Do you even think you should make it your business?"

Yashiro closed his mouth. Of course, like most people, he knew that Tsuruga Ren was a stage name. What most people didn't know though, was that Ren had never offered his real name to him, or the directors, or anyone in the industry anywhere. Yashiro hadn't been too suspicious of that – after all the paparazzi were ruthless, and some actors went to great lengths to maintain a modicum of privacy – but now he was starting to wonder.

"If this affects Ren's health and life, then it's already my business. I can't let this go on."

The president nodded. "That's true. As it is, though, I can't come up with a reason why Ren would suddenly snap like that. His assignments are going well, I imagine?"

"Yes."

"No trouble on the Cain Heel front?"

Yashiro hesitated. "Not that I know of. Kyoko is with him most of the time, but she hasn't…"

"Ah…" the president said. "Something happened?"

"Not… really," Yashiro said, slowly. "It's just… yesterday, when I spoke to her, she told me someone had rung Ren's phone while he was busy shooting. She hadn't answered, but she noticed it was an overseas number."

President Lori sat up. "Did he react strangely to it?"

"No. In fact, he didn't say anything about it. She just told me because she remembered the number."

The president was up on his feet, pacing the office. Yashiro watched him mutter curses under his breath. "That idiot," he said. "He promised not to contact him like that."

Suddenly, he turned on Yashiro. Without taking his eyes off him, he disconnected the phone and the intercom. "Alright. It seems things have gotten out of control, so I'm going to have to do tell you. But remember – what we say is not to leave this room. Moreover, you must not breathe a word to Ren that I've told you. Understand?"

Yashiro swallowed. "Understood."

* * *

><p>"What is wrong with you?"<p>

Kyoko looked up. "Moko-san?"

"Yes, that's my name," Kanae said, rolling her eyes. "At least you haven't forgotten that."

"What are you talking about?" Kyoko asked, confused.

"You're putting your clothes on backwards."

She looked down and, sure enough, her jumpsuit was pressing her chest a little too tightly. Groaning, she shimmied out of it and put it on properly. "Sorry, Moko-san. I was distracted."

Kanae could see as much – putting clothes on backwards was only acceptable if you were spacing out, or being extremely superstitious. Not that Kyoko was blameless on either account, but there was another level to her usual weirdness that worried Kanae. "Is this about Tsuruga-san?"

Kyoko's shoulders slumped. "You can tell, huh?"

Kanae shrugged and sat down next to her. "You called me last night. You're distracted now, and by the looks of it, you haven't slept. It's easy to connect the dots."

"It's just… Yashiro-san won't tell me anything, and I'm worried."

"You do realize that he's probably busy. All of Japan is probably trying to get a hold of him."

"But what if Tsuruga-san took a turn for the worse?"

"You're neither doctor nor psychiatrist. I don't think there's anything you could do, even if he told you he got worse."

Kyoko bowed her head. As always, Kanae's pragmatism made things seem clear cut and simple. Nevertheless… nevertheless, Kyoko felt suffocated. "But… I was talking to him, right before the accident," she whispered.

It was true. After they'd done their job as the Heel siblings, it had taken a couple of hours with Jerry Woods to bring them to their old selves, and then he had driven her home. She'd seen the time on the clock in his car. "It was half an hour before the accident. He was kind enough to give me a lift home, so that the rain wouldn't soak me," she said. "If only he hadn't driven me, or if I insisted he stay for tea… this wouldn't have happened."

Kanae slapped the back of her head. "You're being ridiculous now. You don't control the weather."

"Yes, but…"

"Moreover, you're doing Tsuruga-san a disservice by thinking of him that way. He's not just a grown man – he's your senior. Don't go insulting his intelligence by presuming his act of kindness to you landed him in the hospital." The best way to snap Kyoko out of it, Kanae decided, was to get angry at her. When her friend looked appropriately repentant, she went on. "I told you, as long as there were no casualties, it's fine. He'll be released from the hospital soon enough, and you'll be able to talk to him some more."

Kyoko nodded, picking a lint off her sleeve. What Kanae said made sense. It was just that… she wanted to see him now. Maybe… maybe she could go directly to president Lori. She needn't be specific, but maybe she could enquire as to what would happen with the Heel siblings. Yes, yes, she thought as the plan started to form. She could ask about that. After all, it was as much of a part for her as it was for him, right? She deserved to know.

"KYOKO!" Kanae yelled. "Are you listening to me?"

"Oh, sorry, Moko-san…."

"If you were not paying attention to my careful advice…"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

"Here I am, wasting time on you…"

"I know, I'm sorry, I just…"

"Good morning, ladies," a voice interrupted them. Both girls stopped and turned towards Yashiro, who seemed to have materialized out of thin air. "Sorry to cut in, Kotonami-san, Kyoko-chan. Are you two having a nice day?"

"Oh, yes, Yashiro-san!" Kyoko said, feeling much too nervous. Now was a good chance for her to ask after Tsuruga-san, only… Moko-san was likely to get mad at her. As if reading her mind, Yashiro turned towards Kanae and smiled.

"Kotonami-san, I'm just coming down from a meeting with the president. He wanted me to tell you to meet him as soon as it is convenient for you."

Kanae blanched and nodded, said a hasty goodbye and bolted. Yashiro and Kyoko watched her bounce on her toes as she waited for the elevator, then gave up completely and went for the stairs. However, the momentary diversion was over, and Yashiro felt a familiar intense gaze focusing on him.

"Yashiro-san, you didn't come to this floor on a whim, did you?" Kyoko said, worry seeping into her voice. It only got worse when he shook his head yes. _I knew it, he's worse than they say. He's dying. It's…_

"Walk with me, Mogami-san," Yashiro said, and gestured towards the elevators. The one Kanae had hailed was there, standing with the doors open, and they made their way in. Yashiro was saying something about the weather, but Kyoko was too nervous to focus. She knew that the manager of Tsuruga Ren wouldn't seek her out for idle chit-chat. So why was he taking so long to get to the point?

Her instinct had been right – as soon as the doors closed, Yasiro took off his glove and laid his bare hand on the control panel. Immediately, that power of his to ruin any electrical appliance kicked in, and the elevator stilled between floors.

"Forgive me," he said as he replaced his glove. "I needed to talk to you and this is the only place in the building that doesn't have a security camera."

"It's… fine, Yashiro-san," Kyoko said, trying very hard not to panic. Not having a security camera? This couldn't be good.

"Kyoko-chan, I have to be direct, so please excuse my rashness. I need your help."

She nodded. "Is it about… Tsuruga-san?"

Yashiro sighed and turned to face her, and she was suddenly struck by how tired he looked. She knew, of course, that he was older than her… older than Ren, too, but his age never seemed to show. Now, however, he seemed to have gained a decade overnight, and he looked at her with the weariness of a man struck down too often by life.

"Kyoko-chan, you are a discreet person, and I am sure that whatever I tell you won't leave this elevator. But nevertheless, this is important information I need to disclose, and I cannot risk somebody eavesdropping." He waited for her to nod, before continuing. "You know well enough that last night Ren was in an accident. There is a lot of speculation going on in the media, and he will be facing a lot of difficulties as soon as he leaves the hospital."

"I know," she said, and felt her gut clench with worry. "Is there anything I can do to… help?"

"I'll get to that," Yashiro said. "Ren doesn't care for the media – he's dealt with them before, he'll deal with them again. But he's also troubled, Kyoko-chan. Surely you've noticed."

She wanted to deny that – how could her sempai, Tsuruga Ren, number one actor in Japan, project anything but zen-like calm. But she knew better – she'd been acting alongside him, after all, sharing meals, even sharing a bed on one occasion (but not in THAT sense). Kyoko didn't like to think about it, but she knew that her sempai was having difficulties. "Is it about his role as Cain Heel? Does it give him trouble?"

"That's not it. Acting comes as naturally to Ren as breathing. No, Kyoko-chan, the problem in question is… a girl."

Silence.

"A girl?" Kyoko repeated, looking mystified.

"Yes. A girl," Yashiro said. "You see, Kyoko-chan, Ren has some feelings towards a certain girl. No, to be honest, that's not a good enough definition. Tsuruga Ren is absolutely besotted with her, head over heels in love."

Kyoko blinked. "But that's not a bad thing, is it, Yashiro-san? Surely being in love is good!" She, of course, knew that already, but she couldn't reveal that, unless she wanted Tsuruga-san to learn that she was Bo. Her voice carried enough happiness to convey happy sentiments, but as she said the words, she felt a stab in her heart. What was that? Not a grudge… but not a fairy either.

Yashiro winced. He couldn't tell Kyoko the truth, not all of it. To be honest, the president's explanation hadn't been all that enlightening either. However…

_He had to run away, Yashiro, Lori had said. He needed to start over, before he couldn't get out. The things he did would have destroyed him, and he's been working very hard to become a different person. _

_Yashiro had remained silent, partly because he didn't know what to say, partly because he was trying to understand the situation. Fitting the image of a violent fifteen year old with the ever polite, ever calm Tsuruga Ren was… hard to say the least. But underneath the surprise and shock was something else… something a lot more raw and angry. For the first time in years, Yashiro actually felt personally insulted. _

_However, Lori had continued, just ignoring the elephant in the room isn't enough. He had to face his demons._

_And you encouraged him to act the part of a deranged serial killer, Yashiro finished, surprised at the sarcasm in his voice. Of course, there's no way that plan could possibly backfire._

_I also thought about that. It's why I told him to only take part in dramas in the past – the roles were much more harmless, and he wouldn't fall off the wagon. But things have changed now, Yashiro. He has a lucky charm._

Looking at the lucky charm in question, Yashiro couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Not romantic, mind you – but he was jealous that Ren had gotten to love this girl, trust this girl, enough to let his walls fall, and yet he hadn't told anything to him, his best friend.

"Kyoko-chan, it's not so simple. This is the Tsuruga Ren we're talking about – he has more than himself to consider. If he were to get in a relationship with this girl, he would expose her to a lot of attention from the media. She would have to relinquish a lot of her privacy. It might be impossible for them to have a normal relationship." Yashiro sighed again. "He's very afraid of hurting her, so he won't possibly approach her unless he's absolutely sure she would return his feelings. And so far… she has not."

That much was true. Ren had tried, in many instances, to give Kyoko subtle hints about how he felt, but the girl was either too dense or too oblivious to actually pick up on them. At any rate, the man had been discouraged.

_Subtlety doesn't work anymore, Yashiro,_ Lori had said. _If we are to help Ren overcome his demons, we need to get him together with Kyoko, and fast._

And they would do so, even if it meant lying, cheating and deceiving the poor kid.

Meanwhile, Kyoko was fuming.

_Hasn't given him indication? That absolute hussy! How dare she_! Her anger seemed to intensify and her grudges took immediate notice. _She has the most handsome, most accomplished man in all of Japan in her feet and she dares snub him? Is she daft? Does she not realize what other people would do to have what she has? If it were me…_

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt and she hurried to compose herself. Too late. She'd gone down that road, and now memories were starting to resurface. Tsuruga-san smiling at her. Tsuruga-san defending her from the stalker. Him taking her in his arm, whispering that Corn was alright. And then, other, more intimate ones – his cold hands in hers. The weight of his head in her lap. The way he'd held her, trembling, that time at the hotel, as if she were is last link to sanity.

There was no way to deny it – her feelings towards Tsuruga-san were not just admiration and respect, what was natural for a sempai and kouhai. But it was fine – as long as she kept it under wraps, there was no way of it getting out of control. And if he was in love with someone else…

"What can I do to help him?" she asked Yashiro, who only seemed too happy to tell.

"We need to make her jealous, Kyoko-chan," he said, hating himself for the pain he was causing her, but knowing that it was for the best helped him through. "Ren has several events coming up, and if you were to accompany him, I'm sure that she might come around."

Kyoko frowned. "Make her jealous? You mean me? I can't be…I'm not good enough for that! I'm plain and… and… I'm just a second-rate actress."

"You're a LME actress, and you've already starred in two dramas, Kyoko-chan. You can't doubt your ability."

"My ability is passable, but… I can't possibly be beautiful enough," she said in a rush.

Yashiro shook his head. "What about the Dark Moon party? You were radiant there."

"But that was all make-up and a pretty dress," Kyoko said. "It was just borrowed glamour. I'm nothing like the kind of woman Tsuruga-san might like."

"Kyoko-chan, have you actually seen the girl?"

No, she hadn't, but surely she must be gorgeous. Her mind conjured up some weird hybrid of Moko-san and Corn, a girl with a lady-like air, perfect body, perfect hair, clothes that are just right… someone who was worthy of Tsuruga Ren's love.

Yashiro placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her to look at him in the eye. "It doesn't matter," he said. "Kyoko-chan, you're the only person Ren would allow to get close enough in order to do this. I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't absolutely necessary. You have to appear in public with Ren, and make it seem like there is something between you two. It's the only way."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Skip Beat! in any shape or form, even if I had some hopes about Ren and Kyoko's short skirt.

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><p>"<em>You have to make the effort, for him."<em>

Easier said than done, Yashiro-san, Kyoko thought as she wandered down the shopping district, trying very hard not to meet anyone's eye. She had a feeling that if she did, they would immediately know she was a hack. Swarovski, Karen Millan, Versace… all these big brand stores were not for second-rate actresses who haven't even had their debut yet. Kyoko had dreamed of shopping in this place, of course, but it was a vague kind of daydream, right there with the "one day I'll dye my hair green" and "dancing with the fairies" kind. It wasn't meant to actually happen, she didn't even have the money for them.

Well… until a few hours ago, that is. Yashiro, after getting her to agree to his crazy plan, had promptly handed her a credit card with the instructions to use it however she saw fit. No matter how hard she tried to get him to take it back, he'd refused.

"_You will need some things for the events you will attend with Ren. Don't worry, it'll be written off as a business expense."_

"_That's not it, Yashiro-san. Tsuruga-san…" Ren had told her that men didn't waste their money on a woman they weren't interested in. He said it would be irresponsible for her to accept gifts, thinking that there were no strings attached. He'd then told her to go to him whenever she was in need of something. But Kyoko couldn't tell that to Yashiro. "He'd get upset if he finds out, wouldn't he? Especially if he learns I used company money. He was really mad with me when he thought I treated him like just another assignment." _

_Yashiro shook his head. "This isn't a Love-Me assignment, Kyoko-chan. That's the reason why I had to talk to you here. It has to be under the strictest of confidence."_

"_So I can't even tell Moko-san about it?" _

"_Nobody can know." Yashiro looked at her dead in the eye as he said it. "Ren is in a very delicate position. You know he would never admit it, but he would be very unhappy if he learned that others were worried, and he would only close off more. The only thing we can do is act and hope he doesn't mind."_

All well and good, but she really wished she could have spoken to Kanae about this. Maybe her friend would have been impatient with her, but Moko-san was a lovely lady, and she definitely knew how to make herself look amazing. It would have been great to have a friend with whom she could talk to about this, a friend who could help. Because Kyoko knew, in spite of Yashiro's assurances that she had looked lovely at the gala, that she really wasn't all that beautiful.

She paused in front of a dress shop and sighed, looking up at the mannequins on display. She wondered what it would be like to actually have the guts to walk in there and try one of these on. To buy one. But she knew it was of no use. Even if she wore the most beautiful gown and had her hair done by a magician, she would have zero effect on Tsuruga-san.

Kyoko frowned as another memory resurfaced. She'd told president Lori, and Moko-san, and Yashiro, that Ren had taken her home just before he got into that accident, and it had been the truth. They had assured her that what happened was not her fault, and left it there, no doubt thinking that she was just being her neurotic self. What she hadn't told them, what she would never tell them, was what had happened the night before… and on the morning, at the shoot.

She refused to think about it. She wouldn't analyze it, wouldn't even make allusions to it, to anyone or to herself. But one thing had been made abundantly clear, and it was that Tsuruga Ren found her about as desirable as one of those wooden mannequins she was looking at.

"Well, well, well, look at what the cat dragged in."

Kyoko didn't need the grudges to rear their heads – she knew immediately who was speaking. Stiffening, she turned and looked at her rival.

"Sho," she said, barely inclining her head to acknowledge him.

Her childhood friend raised an eyebrow. "Daydreaming again? Should have known that's what you were doing. I mean, why else would you be here of all places."

_Stay calm. Don't let him get to you_, she thought. _You have more important things to worry about._

"What I do here is none of your business," she said, moving as if to breeze past him, but he angled himself so that he was in her way. There was no way to gracefully overstep him without looking like a ditz, so she stopped and gave him a frosty look. "Would you mind?"

"Now, now, Kyoko-chan, where's the rush?" he asked, smirking. "If you want to look at the pretty things, don't let me bother you. Tell you what, I'll even walk with you into the store so that you can look closer without worrying about the salesladies whispering."

_That asshole,_ she thought, wishing she could punch him. But she knew that would be wise – even if people didn't recognize her as Mio from "Dark Moon", she would no doubt get dragged off by security guards… again. But this was cruel, even for Shotarou. He knew she liked pretty things, and he knew she loved to daydream. So why wouldn't he leave her alone, even for one miserable day? A Happy Meal in the face had been too good for him.

Kyoko was aware she had given him more than he deserved, but the extent of it kept hitting her in the face, again and again. Like this street? Kyoko had been an actress for nearly two years now, working her ass off on dramas and commercials and whatnot, and she still served at the Duruma-Ya on the days she didn't have homework in order to put food on the table. She was reminded, again and again, how hard it was, but at least the fact that she loved acting made up for the hardships. In contrast, Sho had never had to do anything else but write music and smile for the cameras. He didn't know what it was like to wake up at three in the morning, or to have his hands crack from doing dishes all day.

He didn't have to walk down a shopping district and dream about owing a fancy guitar – he'd just walk into a store and get one. And he loved to rub her face in the fact.

Today, though, she had no time to deal with that.

"Thanks for the offer, but if I go into a shop, I'd rather be accompanied by a guy who doesn't have his eyebrows plucked for him," she said and, using his distraction, slipped past him.

It didn't take him long to recover, though, and he was hot on her heels.

"And what is that supposed to mean, huh?"

"It means that I'd rather not be seen in your company, that's what," she said, mentally calculating her escape routes. She'd been through here many times when she'd rushed between jobs, but she had always been on her bike.

"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but a lot of male actors go to the beauticians. Your precious Tsuruga-san is probably a regular customer."

Her precious… She really had to get away, before she killed him. Kyoko focused on walking faster, and tried to ignore the lump in her throat. He'd never be hers. Never. Not that she cared.

In desperation, she ducked into a store, hoping that Shotarou wouldn't throw a hissy fit in there, but realized much too late her mistake. She'd just walked into Tiffany's. And immediately had all three clerks focus on her.

Well, too late to go back now. Kyoko felt, rather than saw, Sho following her inside, so she quickly tapped into Natsu and gave the salespeople a cool glance, before walking over to the nearest display case. If she played her cards right, he'd get bored and leave before anything bad happened.

Diamond rings and necklaces sparkled on the display cushions, and she paused to admire the elegant designs, the simple shapes. She imagined owing one of those things one day, maybe a set. But then, when would she wear them? She never had occasion to dress up, safe for the Dark Moon gala.

"That's a lovely diamond you've got there, Miss."

It took Kyoko a minute to realize that the saleslady had spoken to her. "Excuse me?"

"Your necklace. It's a beautiful piece," the woman said, her kind face beaming. "In fact, judging from the cut, it just might be one of ours."

Kyoko's hand flew immediately to her throat, and she felt the familiar shape of Princess Rosa, whom she had put on before coming over, for courage. And she immediately relaxed – but of course, Princess Rosa was magic, it was natural that she could have been confused with a piece from one of the world's most renounced jeweler's. "Ah, well, I don't know. It was actually a gift."

"Oh?" Sho breathed down her neck, making her shiver. She could just tell what he was thinking. How could Kyoko have gotten such a gift? She probably stole it. Straightening up, she gave the woman a polite smile.

"One of yours, you say?"

"Well, I can't be sure, but if I may…" she gestured. Kyoko hesitated only briefly, but undid the clasp anyway and handed the necklace over. The lady examined it with an expert eye, before nodding. "A rare cut, to be sure, but definitely one of ours. The chain, though…" She frowned. "It looks like it was bought from the supermarket."

Kyoko tried not to blush as she heard Sho stifle a laugh. "Well, I only got P… I mean, I only got the gemstone."

"Oh, my!" The lady looked shocked that someone could have been so negligent. "Well, if you'd like, we can fit you a better chain. And maybe a ring to match?" she added, looking meaningfully between Kyoko and Sho.

Just the thought of being associated with that guy in such a way made her freeze over. Taking Princess Rosa back and fastening the chain on, Kyoko said quickly, "No, no, that's quite alright. I was just surprised, is all, since I didn't know the gem had come from here. Oh, my, look at the time, excuse me," she said, beating a hasty retreat, and hoping like hell that Shotarou wouldn't follow her.

* * *

><p>He didn't. Instead, he watched her leave, while the wheels in his head span at extra speed. Kyoko owned a diamond? A real, honest-to-goodness diamond, and she didn't even know it? Well, that last part was easy enough to believe, since the girl could be as dense as a brick, but really? Who would have given her such a gift?<p>

Turning his attention to the lady behind the counter, he leveled her his most charming smile. "Excuse me, ma'am."

"Yes?" she said, eyes bright. He smirked a little wider.

"My friend over there is a little shy, but I know she would love to have a ring to match that necklace."

"Of course! We have some very nice ones right here…"

"But do you have any ones that are a perfect match? Say, the same cut? Is there a way to check."

"But of course," the woman said, tripping over herself to be helpful. "We keep a full account of every piece we sell, with the name of the purchaser, as well as all the diamonds from the same cut. I could check this out for you."

"That would be great," he said, and watched her tap away on a computer. She then hurried to the other side of the store to retrieve some items from a glass case, and he used the opportunity to look at the names. His eyes widened. "No fucking way!"

* * *

><p>The fairies were unusually excited. They filled out the dressing room, chirping happily to themselves and flying in figure eights. The grudges were in a monkey huddle in the corner, trying to keep themselves warm.<p>

Kyoko had to stop herself from beating her head against the wall. It was Wednesday now, three days after what she called the Tiffany's accident, and the day after Tsuruga-san's official discharge date. Normally, she'd have called to see how he was, but… well, under the circumstances, that would have been a bad idea.

She looked at herself in the mirror. The Box R shoot was over for the day, but she'd decided to stay in-Natsu, as she now referred to herself whenever she used the model stance, make-up and hair. She refreshed her lipstick, reminding herself of what she had to do now – it was nearly noon, and time to initiate what Yashiro now called the Tsuruga-san plan.

_Deep breaths, you can do this._

But she really doubted it. Her feet were weak, and it was like her first audition, only ten times worse. She didn't know whether to be happy or to throw up.

It had been three days since Yashiro recruited her for the Tsuruga-san plan.

Four days since the accident.

Five since… that.

And in a few minutes, she would see him.

Kyoko looked at herself in the mirror and marshaled her features into a mask of calm. "It doesn't matter," she said. "It's okay. You have to do this for him."

The grudges looked up hopefully. The air smelled good.

* * *

><p>Ren glanced at Yashiro every ten seconds now. He knew because he counted. It was just a normal reaction, he thought, self-preservation instinct kicking in. After five years with that manager, he had learned that a calm, composed Yashiro usually meant something was happening. He hadn't even objected when Ren had called him on the day of his discharge and asked him for his schedule.<p>

In fact, his schedule was rather full, when he thought about it. Was it that Yashiro had predicted that he would want to get back to work immediately? Or maybe he was punishing him for being so reckless?

His manager had definitely been angry with him, but now he was as cool as ice. Not only that, he hadn't asked a single question about the accident ever since he came to pick him up at the start of the day.

"We'll be taking lunch here," Yashiro said as he gestured towards a sushi restaurant near the park. "I figured you might not be hungry, so we're going to go with something light."

"Of course," Ren said. "And after that?"

"Audition for the new drama. You know, it would be suspicious if Tsuruga Ren dropped out the face of the Earth when Cain Heel arrived. The President told you that, right?"

"Naturally. Don't worry for me, Yashiro-san. I'm not afraid of more work."

"Good to hear. And, of course, then there are the night-time pictures of the movie, starring B.J. You'll be meeting Jerry Woods at five for your make-up."

Ren nodded, trying to ignore the sudden fear in his stomach. He was going to be Cain Heel tonight, but what about Setsu? Would Kyoko be there? Technically, he needed a translator, although Murasame had already told everyone who cared to listen that he spoke Japanese. Well… not that it was a vital supporting role, but…

The girl hadn't tried contacting him, not once. That wasn't good – before, she had no qualms of staying overnight and taking care of him when he was sick, cooking and cleaning and making sure he wasn't running a high fever. Not that he expected her to storm the hospital, but a phone call wasn't so farfetched. Maybe Yashiro had taken all calls directed to him, but surely he would tell him if she called. After all, it wasn't like his manager to miss an opportunity to tease him…

Ren sighed, suddenly grateful for the busy schedule. Maybe Kyoko hadn't called and Yashiro had made sure he would be too busy to think about it. But the thing is, his manager had no idea of what had happened less than a week ago. He didn't know the implications of Kyoko not calling.

He shuddered.

"Are you cold?" Yashiro asked. "You didn't bring a warmer jacket, did you?"

"Yashiro-san, it's spring. It's not that bad."

"Don't tell me what's bad and what isn't. You were just in a car accident." They were walking through the park now, and Yashiro paused on a sunny patch of the path. "Look, I know you have things you have to deal with and I'm not going to pry. Just know that I'd listen."

Ren nodded absent-mindedly. "It's fine. I just need to get my head around something."

Yashiro bit back the angry retort that came to his mind. He couldn't tell Ren he knew who he was, not without raising suspicion. So he sighed. "Well, then, shall we continue? We still have to… Ren, what is it?"

Ren didn't answer, but his eyes were trained right on ahead. There were people pulling apart a shooting site, and he immediately remembered that some of the latest Box R episodes were taking place in a park. Did this mean Kyoko was nearby? Did Yashiro know?

Stupid question, of course he knew. And if there was reason to doubt it, Ren also saw a familiar figure stalking towards the set. A figure with blinding blonde hair and a scowl.

Fuwa.

As he followed the rocker's trajectory, he also saw someone coming out of the makeshift dressing rooms. He didn't even have time to panic – before he knew it, Kyoko's eyes were on his.

A long moment passed, longer than any other in Ren's life. The whole world seemed to hold its breath.

Then she raised her hand and waved. And before he could wonder if it was him she was acknowledging, she started moving forward.

* * *

><p>AN Wow, it's been a while since I got such a good response to a new story. Definitely thinking of continuing that one.

Encouragement is welcome, of course.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pretty eager response to the last chapter. Well, Vox Populi, Vox Dei, as they said. Mind you, it's been a pretty slow weekend, folks - but feel free to petition to universities to lower the reading for undergrads, though. ;)**

**I don't own Skip Beat!, because if I did, we'd get less shots of Ren embracing his inner Casper. **

* * *

><p>You know in movies, when star-crossed lovers meet after a long separation, there is this really emotional reunion, with crying and running towards each other and slow-mo kissing in the rain? Well, this didn't happen. Not with this couple.<p>

Instead, Kyoko stared at Ren for a long, long time, swallowed back the pang of fear, and started walking towards him. Seeing her move, his whole body relaxed, as if he'd released a breath he'd been holding for a long, long time. The relief was overwhelming, and underneath it ran a current of hope. Maybe all wasn't lost. Maybe he hadn't blown his chances after all. Ignoring Yashiro's all too superior smirk, Ren straightened up and tried giving himself a quick pep talk before she came up.

_Okay, be nice, be gentlemanly. Don't freak her out, and for goodness' sakes, try to keep your eyes on her face._

That last part wasn't as easy as he thought. There was something odd about the Kyoko who approached him – it took him a few seconds to realize that her way of walking was different. Instead of her usual gait, she seemed to move more slowly, gliding through the grass instead of simply stomping over. He knew that walk, in fact, he'd taught it to her himself. Did this mean the shooting wasn't over? Was she still in character?

But that wasn't possible, she was wearing her own school uniform. Maybe she just didn't have time to get rid of the makeup and shake off Natsu. Yeah, probably.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Sho was livid. He'd been livid for three days now, actually, but he was feeling especially vile now.<p>

There was no denying it – Tsuruga Ren had bought a diamond for Kyoko. A pretty expensive and rare diamond, if the records at Tiffany's were any indication. That was obviously not a gift for someone you only consider to be your kouhai (although who knew, maybe that damn Tsuruga was so rich he could afford to waste money on Kyoko). At some point, his rival had presented his childhood friend with a very clear indication of what his feelings for her were.

There had been one silver lining in the whole thing – Kyoko obviously had no idea of how much that trinket had cost, otherwise she wouldn't be wearing it at all, let alone put it in a supermarket chain. Which meant Tsuruga hadn't confessed his feelings to her, and that she hadn't reciprocated. Which in turn meant that there was still time for him to wreak some havoc.

He'd had to employ all his resources – cajole, threaten, bribe, and even flirt, in order to learn where Kyoko would be and then some more in order to have the time to be there. And now that bastard Tsuruga was there, and she was acting like she didn't even notice him!

He clenched his fists. Oh no. No fucking way! He wasn't going to let her ignore him!

Kyoko stopped in front of Ren, put her hands in front of her and bowed, the epitome of politeness. "Good day, Tsuruga-sempai. I hope you are well."

Ren frowned, but only barely.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Kyoko nodded. "I apologize for not calling to enquire after your health, but I thought that you have already been called by too many people, and I didn't want to encumber you further."

"That's alright," Ren said, alarmed by her formality.

She finally raised her eyes to meet his. They were calm and expressionless, much like… much like when… no, he didn't want to think about it. He was about to panic, when she spoke again, and her words stopped him in place. "I understand that you're probably very angry with me. I apologize."

"Angry with you? What for?"

"The accident. You wouldn't have been on that road if it hadn't been for me. I'm very regretful."

Ren caught her shoulder before she bowed again and, ignoring the zing of electricity that shot up his arm, said, "Mogami-san, the accident was just that – and accident. It was nobody's fault, much less yours, and I will not have you apologizing over it. Is that understood?"

Kyoko gave him a long, long look, as if she was trying to communicate something to him. Unfortunately, the message was not in a language familiar to him. He waited until she straightened up, and added, "Anyway, I think I'm the one owing you an apology. I'm definitely troubling you."

Something flashed behind her eyes, and for a moment she was the old Kyoko, ready to contradict him until she was blue in the face. "No, Tsuruga-san! Don't apologize to me! You are my sempai, as your junior it's my duty to be respectful to you!"

"Well, some things never change," a snide voice interrupted. Ren turned towards the source, barely hiding his distaste. Besides him, Kyoko froze up. Sho smirked. "You two are almost better than a movie. Too bad I didn't bring any popcorn."

Ren smiled politely.

"Good day to you, Fuwa-kun. Passing by?"

"Yeah, something like that," Sho said. "I actually wanted to have a word with Kyoko, and I'm quite busy, so if I can just borrow her…"

"No, you may not," Kyoko said, in a voice that made all three men do a double take. Neither had ever heard her snap, or speak so rudely to someone, even if that was Fuwa Sho.

Her childhood friend was the first to recover. "Careful," he said. "We may be in different circles, but I'm still your sempai. You owe me some respect."

"I owe you nothing," Kyoko said, shifting until she stood with her arm on one cocked hip. Ren's eyes widened when he recognized Setsu, and he realized that she was using a character in order to speak to Fuwa… to both of them, it seemed, because now that the pieces clicked into place, he realized that she'd been speaking to him as Cain, not as Ren. And that was all well and good, but why would she need a character in order to communicate with anyone? Unless… unless she was so angry she didn't trust her normal self with the role. He shook his head and waited for her to continue.

"True, you have entered the entertainment industry earlier than I," Kyoko was saying. "But so has Tsuruga-san, and he's been the best actor in Japan for years before you or I came on the scene."

Sho was glaring daggers at her, but they fell around her like leaves. Not once did she break his stare, or let her voice show emotion. "Furthermore," she went on, "I know for a fact just how much you've invested in that career of yours, and I. Am. Not. Impressed."

His fists clenched. "Are you implying I don't deserve to be where I am now?"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating it outright," Kyoko said. "You can write all the soulful ballads you want, Sho, but I'd like to see where you'd be if you didn't have someone to pay your rent for you and cook you meals."

"Is that sour grapes I hear? Might I remind you that nobody held a gun to your head?"

Yashiro had to hand it to Kyoko – if that last jab had hurt her, it didn't show. If anyone asked him, she was very brave, to stand there and tell Sho off like that. But Ren looked ready to tear Sho's face off, so he thought he ought to step in.

But Kyoko beat him to it. "I don't deny it – you blindsided me alright. But I don't regret coming to Tokyo, or throwing that menu at you. I'm glad, really, that you saved me from being locked in that Ryoken all my life. But don't act like you're so much better than me – not all of us had the luxury of a personal servant to use as a stepping stone."

Sho's eyes blazed with anger, and he turned towards Ren. "And I suppose you two didn't?"

His words held a challenge to both Ren and Kyoko, and she rose to it. "No, we didn't. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to discuss with my sempai." She turned towards Ren, who nodded and started walking. "Have a nice day," she said, and walked away. She waited until they were out of sight, and let the panic roll off her.

* * *

><p>Ren watched her break character for a minute with a mixture of awe and pride. Seeing her stand up to Fuwa like that had been terribly satisfying, even more than the thought of causing him physical harm (which he didn't entertain… often… anymore), and he couldn't help but feel a little smug that she had stood up in his defense like that. Maybe there was still hope that not all was ruined between them.<p>

"I'm sorry for that unsightly display."

And now they were back to the stiff formality. He almost felt like he ought to be wearing a kimono, given how she was treating him.

"Mogami-san, never apologize for setting idiots straight," he said, giving her his warmest smile. "And there is no need to be so formal with me."

She swallowed and looked up to meet his eyes. Now that Setsu's mask had cracked a bit, he could see a little of the original Kyoko inside, wide-eyed and uncertain. It was reassuring – at the hospital, he'd entertained some of the strangest notions, that while he was out of it, she would change. That all the progress they'd made would have disappeared and that they had returned to that time when they couldn't even stand in the same room without bickering. Not that he minded bickering… so long as she smiled at him.

"Nevertheless, it was quite unpleasant. For me as well," she said, sighing. "I don't like that moron."

"I think you were brilliant," he said.

She blushed and looked away. Ren kicked himself – _too much, too early, idiot. _"Mogami-san, we haven't had a chance to talk, but…" He paused, remembering that they were in a public place, and that an outburst wouldn't bode well. "Are you heading for school? Would you like me to give you a lift? Yashiro-san and I were just heading towards that part of town for an audition?"

Lies, all lies, but it would give him a chance to spend some more time with her and show her that he was still her friend. Who needed lunch, anyway? He'd had a very fulfilling breakfast… well, if you call orange juice and medicine breakfast… which he did… and she didn't, but she needn't know that.

Kyoko shook her head. "I have two hours until my afternoon class, don't worry. I made sure I got off the set early enough so that I could speak with you."

So Yashiro had talked to her. Ren made a mental note to interrogate his manager later on that call – what she had said, her exact tone, and why the hell hadn't he put him on the phone immediately. "Oh? That so?"

"Yes. It's about the… other job," Kyoko said, looking around nervously for eavesdroppers. Ren knew which job she meant, and felt dread coil in his stomach.

"Yes, it's tonight. Will you… not make it?" The words burned his throat, but he wanted to brace himself for the worst.

"No, that's not it." He breathed a sigh of relief. But Kyoko looked thrice as uncomfortable, so he asked what the problem was. "Will you be able to go to the set as Cain, and have me arrive a little later?" she asked.

Well, it would throw a serious wrench in the whole 'I-don't-speak-Japanese' aspect he had going on, but he was too happy that she wasn't backing out on the job to tell her that. "No, but… why would you need to come later?"

She looked down at her feet. "Well, I need to run an errand… but I don't think I can do it if I'm not Setsu…"

"Back there, you switched to her character to deal with Fuwa, didn't you?" When she nodded, he said, "It was a good way for you to keep your cool, but I don't see why you would need the clothes and the wig for it. You don't plan on confronting him again, are you?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just that… the President has asked me to attend a charity function next week, and I don't have a dress, and I'm too embarrassed to go into a fancy shop as myself," she said, looking away the whole time. She realized as she said it how fake it sounded. "You must think I'm really stupid."

"No, not at all," Ren said, hiding his smile. "But what about the dress you wore on the Dark Moon party? It was very beautiful."

She winced. Were everyone going to remind her of that night? "I returned it to Koujima-san," she said dryly. "After you talked to me, I decided that it really was inappropriate of me, especially since I refused to go on a date with him, so I returned the things he gave me and told him I'd repay him the money he wasted on the makeup and hair."

Ren smothered a laugh. "Admirable. And what did Koujima-san say?"

Kyoko shrugged. "He laughed. And told me that it was a gift and I would offend him by trying to pay him back, in money or otherwise."

"Very magnanimous of him." Of course, maybe the little talk Ren had had with him after the party had helped that generosity. "Well, I don't suppose you can attend that function in your uniform, can you? Tell you what, I'll call Jerry and have her do our make up a couple of hours early, so that we'll have plenty of time to do your shopping, and then go straight to the set."

Kyoko's eyes widened and she looked at him. "Oh, no! You don't have to do this for me! You must have other things planned!"

He shook his head. "Now, Mogami-san, I'm not taking any objections. Didn't I tell you to come to me if you ever needed things like that?"

"Yes, but you were hospitalized," she pointed out dryly. "And you can't come with me to the dress shop as Cain! He wouldn't sit around and let his little sister pay for her own dress, not when he's in the vicinity."

Ren raised an eyebrow, as if to say that was precisely the point.

"Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko was scandalized. "I can't let you do that for me!"

"Mogami-san, didn't you yourself say you couldn't do this unless you were Setsu? Would she go into a shop and try a pretty dress without her brother?"

_No, damn it_, she thought. _In fact, that sicko Setsu would parade half the store for him, twirling and saying provocative stuff like: "Would you take me to a ball wearing this?"_ _I'd bet she'd ask his opinion on every piece and act like a spoiled brat whenever he pretended not to care, and then he'd end up buying everything she tried on because she just couldn't decide and he wants to spoil her!_

That was so not the plan! She'd just wanted to speak to Tsuruga-san before they were Cain and Setsu… but not to wheedle money out of him. More like, she'd wanted him to know she was alright, and not at all affected by… the incident. She needed him to, before they returned to being the Heel siblings, and to that hotel room.

"You don't have to come with me. Surely Setsu must come out alone! This is not a part of the act…"

Ren cut her off, bending down so that they were on eye level. And then he did it. He unleashed it. The ultimate weapon of mass destruction.

He gave her the puppy dog stare.

"Setsu," he said in a quiet voice, "I'm your beloved brother. I like to spend money on you. Would you deny me that pleasure, of seeing you all dressed up and making you pretty?"

She tried to resist, but it was worthless. One look like that, and she was putty in his hands. "O… of course not, but wouldn't you be bored in that girly dress shop? You know it takes me ages to choose."

He smirked, the light shining in his dark eyes. "Don't worry about that. We can get you more than one."

She couldn't help but frown. "Waste so much money on something I'd only try on in the store? Not very practical."

"It'd be worth it," he said, straightening up. "Besides, you'll wear it more than once. And I'll be there to see you in it."

Kyoko blinked. "What? But… but… I won't be going to the function as Setsu."

"Good, because I won't be going as Cain," Ren said while he texted Jerry to get the van ready earlier. "It would be confusing when we say we're representatives of LME if we're in those characters."

"But… but, Tsuruga-san, you don't have to!"

He gave her a radiant smile. The grudges ran for cover. "A young lady can't go unaccompanied to those functions, Mogami-san. You know that."

"But… but… surely, you have other things to do."

"Not at all. In fact, this is a wonderful opportunity," Ren said. "We have to fight the rumors that I got into the accident while drunk, Mogami-san. What better opportunity to show that I'm a sensible adult than to show up on a party and behave like one."

Kyoko looked away. Well, that was actually her line, but… somehow, the idea that Tsuruga-san was playing so well into the plan was scary. _Buck up_, she told herself, _you must do this so that this stupid girl he loves comes to her senses. That lucky cow._

"Well then… thank you," she said, awkwardly. Ren smiled gently and fought the urge to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Think nothing of it, Mogami-san. Is five o'clock alright with you?"

She nodded. "Yes. Um… then I'll be seeing you around?"

"Most definitely," he said. He then walked her to the exit of the park and waited with her for the bus. By the time he ran back to Yashiro, both Fuwa and the other people from the Box R set were gone, and the two of them had just about enough time to get to the car before they drove to the next location. Yashiro was so gleeful that Ren had gotten to talk with Kyoko that he didn't even balk at the idea of going to Jerry Woods earlier than expected.

Ren was going shopping with Kyoko. Who needed dinner anyway?

* * *

><p><strong>AN Reviews make me a very, very happy girl. So let's see if we can get that number up. Who cares for coursework, right? **


	4. Chapter 4

"Cut! That's a wrap!" the director said. "Good job, everybody. Let's move onto…"

Kyoko blinked, as if she woke up from a dream, and watched Tsuruga-san move aside so that the make-up artist could fix the paint that had gotten smudged during the last scene. They were filming part of the climax, where B.J. is unmasked and, apparently, un-shirted as well, because Tsuruga-san was naked from the waist up and splashed with fake blood. The director had had them film the same scene for ages, and the heating was in full blast. From where she stood, she could tell he was very, very uncomfortable.

At the same time, he looked a lot more at ease than Murasame-san, who had to keep his coat on at all times. The younger actor hadn't really coped well with the fighting scenes, and now pretty much lived to antagonize them.

As she watched, Cain looked up at her and smirked. It was small, almost insignificant, but it made her blood boil. She felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach, but dismissed it as nerves, and rubbed her neck. She was just in character, is all. It was normal for the idiot Setsu to get these feelings around her brother.

Only he wasn't her brother. And she wasn't a good enough actress to pretend otherwise.

"Stupid Emperor of the Night," she mumbled.

"Hm? Did you say something, Setsuka-san?" the director asked.

She blushed. "Um, nothing, nothing at all. Just an impression I have of brother, is all."

"Oh?" The director looked in Cain's direction, eyes thoughtful. Aside from the two of them, he was the only person on set who knew they weren't blood related siblings, and had had a chance to observe their dynamics without being disgusted by their closeness. His impression had been that they did their job extremely well… maybe too well. Tsuruga-san for one was a bit too protective of his 'sister', and some of Setsuka's reactions were not very sisterly, even for a girl with a brother complex. He had some speculations on the subject, but was far too discreet to bring them up. "What do you think of this scene, Setsuka-san?"

"Um, it's very… dynamic."

The director sighed. "That's the problem. There's a lot of action, but the internal tension is just… meh."

"Meh?"

"Gone. Mediocre. There isn't enough drama. I mean, sure, Murasame-kun's character must stop B.J., and B.J. is… well, Black Jack, but there isn't enough tension. This is supposed to be a climactic scene."

Kyoko looked at the set, trying to see what the director thought of as a problem. Sure enough, it seemed a little anti-climactic. After that scene, B.J. was gone, and then there would be a shot of the happy couple, and then a cliffhanger… but it didn't stand out. She looked at Tsuruga-san again, watched the play of muscles underneath his skin as he flexed his arms and rolled his neck. He wasn't like other people, she thought for the umpteenth time. His features were refined and beautiful, but his body was powerful, carnal. It was no wonder he was such a sought-after model – there was something in him, an animal magnetism, that drove women wild.

She felt the stirrings again and promptly crossed her legs to keep them out. She was a young lady, damn it, even if she was dressed like something out of an American gangster movie. This wasn't the kind of thoughts a young lady ought to be having.

But she looked at the actress playing Murasame's love interest, and saw that the woman also looked at Tsuruga-san. Well, stole glances, really, but her eyes were not frightened, not entirely. There was admiration there too. Actually, every female in the room seemed to stare as Cain warmed up for the next scene. He was dangerous. He was deadly. But they had never really been face to face with B.J., like she had. They had never seen the Emperor of the Night up close. Or maybe they had, and didn't care.

"Black Jack isn't just a killer, you know," she heard herself say. "He's also a man."

"What do you mean, Setsuka-san?" the director asked, but trained his eyes on the set again.

"Look at how the women are staring at him. He's scary, but not just that." The thought was starting to take form, and she couldn't believe she was voicing it, but there it went. "Maybe you've been emphasizing on the fear too much."

The director was starting to see it too. "But he's a serial killer. He's terrifying. He doesn't have the same emotions as a human being."

"And what they're attracted in spite of that… or even because of that. What if the fear makes the other emotions more powerful?" Kyoko caught herself. "I mean… it was just an observation. Those kind of unhealthy romances are all in the fashion out West."

"Yes, of course. But in the end, B.J. is a murderer and gets what he deserves."

Kyoko swallowed. "Undoubtedly."

The director nodded. "Thank you, Setsuka-san. Really, thank you."

He got up and walked towards the actors. Kyoko heard him apologize to the crew, that they would try the scene one more time after all. She saw the actress' eyes widen when she heard what kind of tweaks she had to make to her performance, and Murasame turned as red as a tomato. But Tsuruga-san looked over. And the Emperor rose again, smiling down at her.

She looked away, trying to compose herself. What had come over her? Making such lewd suggestions! But it was in character for Setsuka, who would like to showcase all her brother's acting qualities, wouldn't it? Although that adjustment actually required more of the actress than of him, it was still in his favor.

Maybe she just wanted to find a way to thank him for his generosity. Because they'd gone on their shopping trip, and he'd been generous indeed – not only waiting for an hour and a half for her to pick up a dress, but also somehow getting the saleslady to pick out shoes and accessories while she struggled to wriggle back into her pants. She wanted to think he was just being one with his character, but she couldn't imagine how he could have enjoyed the whole ordeal.

She had. She'd ran between the racks like a little girl, latching onto anything that caught her fancy and hurrying to the dressing room to try and on. The first few times she hadn't gone out, but then she'd heard his voice right in the entrance of the dressing room.

"Setsu," he'd said. "Won't you show me how you look?"

She'd hesitated for just a second, but then had gone out. He'd appraised her, then handed her another dress. And then another. And another. Was he acting like Cain, or just trying to hurry the process? At any rate, she really had tried half the store on, and ended up with a wonderful gown. But…

Kyoko wrapped her arms around herself as they started filming the scene again. Somewhere between trying on those dresses, her mind had switched off and she'd become one with her character, to the point where she'd stopped caring if she closed the dressing room curtains. Given how close her 'brother' had been, that should have bothered her, but it hadn't. And surely, if he'd seen something, he never gave indication of it, for which she was thankful.

Nevertheless, he'd started giving her those long, thoughtful looks when they'd gone out of the shop and headed for the shooting site. Thoughtful and somehow… hungry.

She shook her head. No, it was just her imagination. Or maybe Setsuka's hopeful thoughts. That girl really was scary to act.

* * *

><p>"Cut! Alright, guys, that was wonderful!" the director announced.<p>

They gathered around the monitors to see the two scenes and compare, but instead of looking at the screen, Tsuruga-san came up to Kyoko. He'd thrown a shirt on, and was drinking water.

"Setsu, won't you go look?" he asked when he was close enough.

She shook her head. "I know you did wonderful in both of them. I wouldn't be able to decide."

"True. And yet you had no problem giving a suggestion to the director and making us act that accursed scene again."

Kyoko would have scrambled for apologies. But she wasn't Kyoko – she was Setsu. So she just smirked. "Well, he did ask me what I thought. I figure that it's obvious what scene I'd prefer."

Ren flexed his neck. "You do realize that if they decide to go with that angle, half the scenes would have to be reshot."

_Bratty little sister,_ she reminded herself. "So? You'll look better in the finished movie. More dangerous. More sexy." She couldn't believe she'd just said the word 'sexy' in front of Tsuruga-san. Then again, what did she care? It was obvious he saw her as little more than a sexless mannequin.

He shrugged and smirked. "Nothing. I'm kind of excited about it too."

Kyoko wondered if this girl knew somehow that he was Cain Heel? Maybe she'd see the movie and that would take care of the whole 'making her jealous' business. That actress was definitely prettier than her, and with better… assets.

"Setsu," he said. "What are you thinking?"

"Just that I'll be needing a stick to get rid of these ticks later," she replied, not thinking about it. Only when she heard him snort, she realized she'd said it out loud. "Oh, damn it."

"Well, it seems like an accurate premonition," he said as Murasame made his way over.

"Okay, what the hell was that about?" he was still red in the face as he addressed Kyoko. "What did you tell the director?"

"What did I tell him?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "He asked for my opinion and I gave it."

"And you thought it would be appropriate to have our female lead be attracted to B.J.? Or maybe your brother?"

She wanted to bash his head in, but then she felt Tsuruga-san wrap his arm around her waist. She forced herself to relax... and seethed silently when her body obeyed. It was normal, she told herself, for Cain to touch her like that. It was normal for Setsuka to invite these touches. But why oh why did he have to be so... obvious about it?

His hands were hot, searing. The way he rubbed the skin of her back, the way his thumb traced patterns... she wanted to lean into him and sigh in contentment. Instead, she forced herself to stay calm and glare at Murasame.

"What does it matter? You end up together with her in the end, don't you?"

"Yes, but she's… she gets… she never recovers, and what kind of a message would that send out?" he yelled.

Kyoko frowned. "That's simple, cheese-brain. Don't mess with bad boys."

* * *

><p>Ren couldn't help a sigh of contentment when put his head under the cold water. Too much work and a too hot room did not bode well. That day on the set had nearly made him throw off the disguise and drench himself in cold water.<p>

Well, that and a certain person who seemed to forget how to close her dressing room curtains. Seriously, was the girl dense or just that much into her character? Of course, Setsuka would have no problems with her brother seeing her undress… she'd probably do it on purpose, but Kyoko was too self-conscious for that. He'd tried to be a gentleman, not to look at the direction of the dressing room, but then had remembered that anyone who passed might see, so he angled himself in a way that would hide the crack.

He shut his eyes and turned the faucet until the water was freezing, trying to forget the glimpses of her shape, the silvers of skin he had seen.

It was hard enough. He couldn't take any more of this without going mad.

Kyoko was asleep by the time he came out. His dinner was laid out on the table and he wolfed it down, throwing glances at her form ever so often. She'd been tired when they'd come in, so he'd offered her to take the bathroom first. He wondered if maybe that was his way of getting out of some more difficult conversations. She'd definitely looked embarrassed over that suggestion she'd made, so he'd figured he'd go easy on her…

Maybe it would be for the better if she'd given up. The day of the crash, she'd definitely been thinking about it. Even if she hadn't said it outright, he'd seen it in her eyes, in her body language – this assignment was making her uneasy, and she wanted out. On an intellectual level, Ren could see the logic behind that. He even applauded the decision – it was that any reasonable person, any normal person would do, after seeing how fucked up he was.

But something else had stirred in him, something dark and raw and possessive. Something that had overpowered reason and logic, something primitive and terrifying.

He didn't want her to leave.

He needed her to stay. To absolve him. To be silly and neurotic and panicked. To look at him with those beautiful eyes, and blush when he got closer, and melt into his arms when he held her. To tell him her stupid fairy stories, and let him tell her his.

Finishing his meal, he was about to turn in when she stirred and shivered. Thinking that she was cold, he took another blanket and draped it over her. It was then that he saw the tears.

She was crying in her sleep. Not bawling, like she had once over Corn, but just… weeping. He remembered that time, when she'd told him her mother had left for good – it hadn't been frustration or childish anguish that had caused those tears, but something different, something much more raw and serious. Those had been the tears of an adult, discouraged and resigned, who knew that crying did no good and simply let his body do what it wanted.

He'd thought she was more like him at that time, and his own grief had nearly crippled him. Because those tears mean that she, his beautiful, pure girl, had lost something irrevocably.

When you are a child, it seems like everything is fine. No grief, no loss, no terror. Nightmares are dispersed when the dawn breaks through. That was the first time Kyoko learned that sometimes, there is no dawn. Sometimes, your world breaks, and you have to pick up the pieces.

Ren… Kuon had already known that. He hadn't wanted her to learn it too.

But why was she crying now?

"Setsu?" he whispered, but she didn't respond. She pressed her face against the pillow and muttered something about corn. He looked closer and saw that she was clutching his stone.

A wry smile blossomed on his face. "What am I going to do with you?"

What could he do? Keep things professional? Fat load of good that had done them. Get closer? Impossible! Push her away? She'd just come back – she was like a boomerang that way.

And then a thought wormed its way into his head. What if he made her drift away? What if he somehow fixed her up with some guy, give her the happily ever after she wanted, and then go die in the sidelines? The idea almost killed him, but it was solid, it was good. He could let her go, let her be happy, instead of using his own pain and sorrow to shackle her to him. Yes… it seemed like he had a plan. And he knew just the place where he could help her meet someone who was not a total cretin.

He had to make sure she met someone at that party.

And then find a nice dark hole to crawl into.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Well, here's to another chappie. *raises coke* I've been having this idea float in my head, but I guess chapter withdrawl finally got me to write it. **

**Kitsune, sorry for not updating the Sora/Leon stories. I'm really sorry. I want to continue with them, but... well, real life and all that. I'll do my best, though!**

**Speaking of doing my best, I just realized that this story might be outgrowing its rating. Hmm... tell you what, let's see if we can double those reviews, and give this story a higher rating. ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Skip Beat! but if I did, Ren and Kyoko would be snogging already. Hey' that's an idea, we can help fundraise enough money for me to become a manga-ka. You can begin by reading this chapter!**

* * *

><p>"You look like hell."<p>

Ren winced. "Thank you, president Takarada. Your frankness is always much appreciated."

President Lori snorted. The young man in front of him didn't look like he was up for anything, much less sarcastic interludes, but he bore with fortitude. He wondered if this weary look was the result of being in the same room as Kyoko-chan… or something else. Ren's eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks – sullen. Even with Jerry's efforts to make him look good, his whole appearance screamed "TIRED". In fact, he hadn't looked this bad since… well, since he came from America.

That wasn't good. The idea of the whole thing had been to get him closer to Kyoko-chan, not regressing five years back.

"So," he said, hoping to liven up the mood, "A little bird told me that Cain and Setsu were dress-shopping yesterday. Care to fill me in?"

"You'd know more about this than I do," Ren said. "After all, you told Mogami-san to go to that function. She was too embarrassed to get a dress as herself, so she went as Setsu."

"And I suppose you went because you thought I didn't give her enough money for a dress, and decided to pay for it yourself?"

"Is it not Cain's character to spoil his little sister?"

"Cain, huh? Are you planning on writing that one off as a business expense, then? Or is it just a loan to Mogami-san."

Ren glared. "Don't be ridiculous. I would never ask money from her."

The president laughed. "Well, as long as you don't pull a Koujima, it'll be fine. Mind you, it'll probably get you two on a date, but she wouldn't enjoy knowing what a hypocrite you are, pulling the same moves you told her to guard against."

The younger man pinched the bridge of his nose. He was supposed to get a briefing, not a berating. And even if the thought of offering Kyoko an incentive to go out with him had crossed his mind once… twice… several times, the idea of being associated with his playboy colleague was too disgusting. Besides, his newfound resolution was to help Kyoko find a worthy man, and help her he would.

However, what Ren hadn't anticipated was that he knew sorely few men who would fit his definition of worthy, and he didn't even know them well enough. It surprised him – he thought he was a pretty amiable guy, but there was a difference between amiable and friendly, and lots of men steered clear of him. The only one whom he could say he knew fully was Yashiro-san, and there was no way he would set him up with Kyoko. For one thing, his manager would never do it – in fact, he would probably do everything in his power to dissuade him, and Ren didn't need that.

Besides, Yashiro was too old. And too clumsy. And too technologically inept. Kyoko didn't need another man who couldn't look after himself.

Not that he could look after himself, if you asked her. Oh, well, all the more reasons then.

Who did that left? Their colleagues from Dark Moon? No, they were too used to seeing her as Mio. Director Ogata? Too unprofessional? One of the guys from Bridge-Rock? He'd seen them on the Christmas Party, so he knew she knew them from somewhere. One of them had to be an appropriate age, and they struck him as well-meaning and technology-wise lads…

But surely… game-show hosts? She could do better.

Well, he certainly had his work cut out for him.

President Lori watched as Ren's face darkened and darkened under the weight of unhappy thoughts. This would not do. "Ren, are you having problems with your part?"

"What? No, of course not!"

"Really? Because you seem exhausted."

"It does take a toll to let Kuon out without becoming him completely," Ren said.

"But that's not all, is it? Are you having problems with Kyoko-chan? Is she not doing a good job as Setsu?"

"She does a fantastic job. It's just that…" Ren bit his lip, wondering if he could confess to something so embarrassing. "President, you know how I feel for this girl. Having me share a room with her, and dressing her up the way you did… it is not helping matters."

"Oh? And how do you feel for her, Ren?" the president asked.

Bastard! He was trying to bait him out. But he wouldn't cave in. He would maintain a perfectly cool, detached, professional…

"I want her so much it hurts."

_What happened to professional?_

The president smiled like a cat with canary's feathers on its whiskers. "Well then, what's the problem? Go on and sweep the girl off her feet. You know how to do that, right?"

"You make it sound so easy."

"What, you have more objections? What are they? What do you not like about this girl?"

"It's not that I don't like her… but she's four years younger than me!" The objection didn't seem to faze Takarada, who just raised an eyebrow. Of course, his own sweetheart was a whooping twenty years his junior. He probably thought that four years were nothing! But the thing was, he and Jerry Woods were two very consenting adults whose feelings were reciprocated. He had no idea how Kyoko felt about him, and forcing his feelings on a high school girl was ten different shades of creepy.

Besides, the president was The President. People expected outrageous things of him.

"She's barely been out into the world," Ren went on. "She doesn't have any experience with men. And the last one she fell in love with broke her heart. How do you suggest I sweep her off her feet, when she wants them firmly planted on the ground?"

President Lori frowned. "Ren, have I ever told you how I romanced Jerry?"

No, he hadn't. When he and Jerry had arrived from the States, he'd been too busy rebuilding his image and learning the language to pay attention, and by the time he had, she and the president were already an item.

"When we met, we were both in a bad place when it comes to love," Takarada began. "My daughter-in-law was dead, my wife too, my son was acting like an ass and my granddaughter was shattered. Jerry, on the other hand, had just finished her divorce, and you know what a piece of work her ex was."

Ren nodded. He'd been there to see exactly what a monster Charlie Fern had been, and he would lie if he hadn't entertained the notion of paying him a late night visit… with a steel pipe. But that was before Rick and the accident.

"She was even more reluctant than Kyoko to get in a new relationship, but that really affected her work. She couldn't fall in love with it and use her imagination the way she did, and that was killing her. I could see her struggling and I offered her what I could offer – companionship and understanding. We went to dinner, we talked, we trusted each other slowly. I started sending her flowers, gifts, and one night, I serenaded her – in two words, I romanced her head off."

"Somehow, Mogami-san doesn't strike me as the type who would be smitten by singing," Ren remarked, while wondering if he'd ever have the guts to try that one out.

"Then don't sing. Write her a poem. Or a love letter. The possibilities are endless."

"I honestly don't think…"

"You don't? Fine then," the president said. "You know what the only difference between me and Jerry and you and Kyoko is?"

"What?"

"Age. Both Jerry and I were way past out twenties when we met. We'd been in relationships, and we'd been burned, but we also knew how much work went into one. It's easier to bounce back when you know that life doesn't offer you a one-or-nothing proposition."

Ren frowned. "Are you saying that I'm shallow?"

"I'm saying that if she rejects you, you still have a chance to win her. But if you don't even try, she would never know how much she means to you."

He looked away. The president was such a romantic… he had no idea how much Ren did know, and how it killed him to have Kyoko so close, yet so far away. "You say I don't know how much work goes in a relationship, but I do. Even if… even if the public wouldn't mind the difference in our ages, you forget that the reason I came here in the first place was Kuon. What do you think would happen when she finds out that I'm a murderer? That sometimes I can't even control myself? Maybe she would be better off without me."

Takarada sighed. "You can't always hide it, Ren. You know that."

Maybe. But he might as well try.

* * *

><p>Ren didn't know it, but he wasn't the only guy plagued with thoughts with Kyoko. Although, if he knew, he would probably find it very distasteful to be associated with that person in such a way.<p>

Sho was not concentrating. He didn't care – Vie Ghoul weren't there to make things difficult for him, so he could afford to slack off.

There were things he could take. He could even swallow his pride on occasion and listen to what people had to say. But being told off by Kyoko, and in front of Tsuruga Ren… that was not something a guy's ego could stand.

So maybe he had used her. He still maintained that it was her own damn fault for going along with everything he did. Maybe if she showed a little more backbone, she wouldn't be hurt so much. Maybe if she actually let him buy her things she liked, she would feel like it was a fair trade. But no, she had to be all selfless and caring so that in the end, he was the monster. It wasn't fair.

Some people don't have stepping stones, she said. Maybe he could believe it of her, but not of Tsuruga. The guy's fast raise in the ranks couldn't be the result of anything else but blatant nepotism. If he had stepping stones, nobody would know about them – how else could he maintain that cool image of his? He wouldn't take this shit from Kyoko, though. He wouldn't lie down and just let her roll over him with a bulldozer.

Suddenly, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Picking up his phone, he thumbed quickly through the addresses and found the number of a detective agency he'd hired to research Vie Ghoul, when they'd first started copying his style. It was time to dig up some dirt.

* * *

><p>"That is the cheesiest, most unimaginative role she's had to date," Chiori said.<p>

"I agree. Unrequited love? Please! It's obvious she's being typecast," Kanae said.

Kyoko personally thought that the story was moving, but she daren't say it. It was just that her two Love Me! companions were so strong-willed, so assured in their opinions, that it was scary to contradict them.

They were in the office, watching the latest Kawagoe Michika drama the President had sent over for Chiori to review. The other two had finished with their work for the day and were sticking around out of solidarity, although somewhere along the way Kyoko had gotten absorbed with the action onscreen and Kanae had offered to write some notes for Chiori.

It wasn't a bad drama, not really. Michika's character, the protagonist, was in love with her childhood sweetheart, who had gotten in too deep with the Yakuza and thus severed all connections with her. At the same time, his best friend was having some really nice moments with Michika, and she had started wondering if maybe she'd be better off with him, even if she wasn't sure of his feelings. In the latest episode, she'd finally decided to go out on a date with him, and things were getting progressively heated.

"Seriously, what is with this girl?" Kanae said. "Does she have no self-respect? It's obvious the guy just wants to get into her pants."

Kyoko blushed.

"Yeah," Chiori piped in. "I mean, that dialogue? Classic player lines, it's as if I'm with my ex all over again."

"Chiori-san, you have a boyfriend?"

"EX-boyfriend. Emphasis on the ex." Chiori sighed. "Total jerk. Had the gall to dump me on Valentine's Day."

"Maybe you should have told that to the President," Kanae muttered. "Maybe we wouldn't be stuck doing this."

"Knowing the President, he'd probably send us to help you two make amends," Kyoko said. At least Takarada hadn't made her interact directly with Sho – there were things even she drew a line to.

She focused back on the action, where Akira, the childhood friend, interrupted a rather intimate moment in a back alley. His eyes were flashing with anger and the music swelled dramatically, and in spite of herself, she wondered how much better Tsuruga-san would have dealt with the role. He would have aced it without the fancy soundtrack.

Thinking about him gave her flutters, and she looked back to Michika's character. The girl looked awfully confused.

"Can you blame her, though?" Kyoko said. "He's been acting so weird with her."

"What do you mean?" Chiori asked.

"Well… Akira knows how she feels for him, yet he can't make up his mind. He leaves her, makes her confused, and then comes back to wreck more havoc. It doesn't seem very consistent of him, and it does her no good because it confuses her further. At least the other guy made up his mind and tries to pursue a relationship with her."

"Yeah, but Akira is in love with her. Takahashi just wants to get into her pants."

Kyoko nodded solemnly. "She'd be better off without either of them, if you ask me."

Kanae patted her back. "It wouldn't be a drama then. Or, at the very least, it would be too sophisticated for Kawagoe."

That much was true. Like Kyoko and Chiori, Michika was obviously being typecast, but unlike either girl, she really wasn't trying to explore faucets of her character – just moved around inertly. It seemed like such a waste of time – Tsuruga-san would probably tear her a new one, if she was his kouhai.

Kanae turned to ask Kyoko something, and saw her freeze up. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, fine," Kyoko said.

"You space out a lot today," Chiori said. "Is anything bothering you?"

Kyoko opened her mouth to deny it, but stopped. There WAS something… someone bothering her. Someone who, much like Akira, confused and attracted and repelled her like a magnet with a split-personality disorder. But could she tell them everything? Obviously not.

"I read this script recently," Kyoko said, carefully picking her words. "It was unfinished, and it hefted significantly on the female protagonist's decisions. I'm just curious as to what you'd do in her place. I mean, I can't put myself in that position…"

"What, are you writing a script now?" Chiori asked. "Not that I haven't done that, but I'd focus on the acting if I were you."

"Don't interrupt her," Kanae said. "What's the situation?"

"Well, she has a male colleague," Kyoko said. "And she feels very attracted to that colleague. He gives her some pretty mixed signals – she can't tell if he feels affection towards her, or just wants to… do what Takahashi wants."

Kanae and Chiori shared a look. Now, looks can speak volumes, but as far as those two went, the conversation was brief and succinct.

_She's acting stupid again._

_She is._

_Suppose we should set her straight._

_Guess so._

Now, it was no secret, to anyone who looked closely, that Kyoko was in love with Tsuruga Ren. She may not call it that (in fact, she would vehemently refuse, protest, and promise physical violence on whomever said otherwise), but "a rose is still a rose" and all that stuff. She cared for him, otherwise why would she bother about his opinion? Why would she worry about him if she wasn't in love with him herself? As far as the other Love Me! members were concerned, it was only a matter of time before Kyoko realized her feelings and went crazy over them.

It was also not a secret that Tsuruga Ren wasn't totally indifferent to Kyoko. In fact, to those who were close enough to them, his infatuation was pretty clear. But it was pretty obvious he was sending Kyoko some pretty mixed signals, and that had, naturally, made the girl confused.

Kanae and Chiori knew that their sempai was an honorable man – they'd sooner believe that the Earth was flat, or that Fuwa Sho was a cross-dressing monkey before they believed that Tsuruga Ren was only interested in having sex with Kyoko – but they also knew that, in showbiz, as in real life, things were never as they seemed. And they didn't want to be the ones to give Kyoko false hopes. They knew what grudges she held.

Kanae was the first one to break the silence. "You know, that's not enough information."

"It's not?"

"Obviously. There are plenty of things to take into account, when it comes to those things."

"Yeah," Chiori said. "For example, what is the heroine's character? I mean, is she one to embrace casual relationships."

Kyoko needed a few moments to realize what she meant, but when she did, the reaction was fast and vehement. "No, no, absolutely not! She's a very traditional girl with traditional values. Actually," she went on, "she's beautiful and refined, like a delicate young lady, but she definitely has her character and doesn't let people walk all over her. She's driven and smart and… and…"

"Alright, alright, we get it," Kanae interrupted, rolling her eyes. "So she's kinda what you wish you were?"

"Um, yeah, kind of," Kyoko said.

"If that's the case, do you think this character would settle for being pursued just for sex?" Kanae asked. "In fact, would she tolerate that kind of behavior, being as outgoing and driven as you describe her to be?"

"No, she wouldn't."

Chiori took pity on her. "What I'd do in her place would be to show the guy he doesn't own me. If he tells me not to do something, I'd make a point of going against him."

"Even if he has a good point?" Kyoko asked, thinking about the dress.

"Yes, even then. I'm not his maid, or troop, or subordinate in any way. I'm not going to answer to orders," Chiori said, sniffing.

"And I wouldn't scramble to please him either," Kanae added. "I mean, I'd try to show him how I feel, but I wouldn't stop myself from doing something just because he might disapprove."

"But… what if he gives good advice?"

"It doesn't matter, Kyoko," Chiori said. "A relationship means that the two people are equals. That means they must respect and trust each other, and by that I mean that a guy should trust a girl to make her own decisions. And if she makes a mistake, well, it would be hers, and she'd know better. He has no right to gloat over her failure, or tell her that he told her so. Believe me, I know."

"So, you're saying I… I mean, the character, should confront the guy?"

"Well, she should first show herself to be her own person. Like, say… confront him if he ever set up a double standard for her to meet."

"A double standard?"

"Yeah. Like, he told her not to do something, but then he goes and does it. Or if he told her not to go to any other man except for him for… certain favors." Kanae was shooting blind – she'd never been to the Dark Moon party, but she had seen the video footage, and she knew something must have gone down between Kyoko and Ren, what with Koujima and all. Seeing Kyoko's expression, she knew she'd hit a bull's eye. "Then confront him. He should learn to respect her before he can love her."

Kyoko nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

It made plenty of sense, really. Tsuruga-san's actions never rang completely true with her. There was always something that didn't make sense, something that made her pause and reflect. But he'd always covered up with his stupid façade, or that Emperor of the Night attitude, whenever she'd come close to calling him out, and by the time she'd gotten far enough from him to put her feet under herself and _think_, it had seemed pointless.

_Well, it's all moot now_, she thought with a tinge of bitterness, _since he isn't in love with you. He doesn't even want you._

Except maybe he did want her. There were just too many instances where his hands had lingered too long, where his gazes had been too hot. Usually, he was Cain at the time, but no brotherly affection could justify those things. Maybe he was just so dejected that his ladylove was turning him down that he would turn to anyone, even her, to lessen the loneliness.

Which only brought her back to the original point.

She couldn't tell Moko-san and Chiori-san what had happened, and she had promised Yashiro she wouldn't tell them of her plan. She couldn't take their advice, because she was not as gutsy as her ideal self, and because a real relationship with Tsuruga-san was doomed. The only thing she could do, the only thing there was, was for her to somehow make this girl jealous while keeping Tsuruga-san from doing something stupid.

"Chiori-san, did your boyfriend really break up with you on Valentine's day?" Kyoko asked, hoping to change topic. Chiori winced.

"Yeah, well, I'm not too sad. I'm just pissed her beat me to it – one more day and I'd have dumped him myself." Her friend's tone was casual, but there was a wistfulness to her eyes that told Kyoko otherwise. Maybe she was angry at this guy, but there was something else there, a deeper emotion. And Kyoko felt herself grow curious. Chiori picked up on that, sighed, and turned the TV on pause. "Okay, ask."

"Ask what?"

"Come on, I know you want to know. Ask." Kanae raised an eyebrow, inviting Kyoko as well. The latter blushed like a tomato and muttered something under her breath. "What?"

"Um, were you dating for long?" Kyoko got out.

"Yeah. Went all the way too," Chiori said, and enjoyed the shocked look on her counterpart's face. She shared an amused wink with Kanae over Kyoko's head, and then said in a serious voice, "Something the matter?"

"N… nothing. But… by all the way, you mean…"

"Yeah."

"Wow," she said, and Kanae echoed her look. Because, really, what is there that you can say?

"You're not going to spaz out on me, are you?" Chiori said, stretching. "I'll have you know, at the time, we were very much in love. I won't regret it."

"But…" Kyoko ventured carefully, "Won't you regret not… waiting? I mean, for um… marriage?"

Chiori gave an exasperated snort. "Not really. People wait for so long, anyway, they don't marry until they're in their late thirties or something. I'm not waiting for that long to know what it's like, especially if I want to become a well-rounded actress. Besides," she added, "It's all moot, since I don't plan on marrying anyway."

Kyoko was heartbroken. "What? Not ever?"

"Nope. Too much of a hassle. And I'd rather live without regret than play it safe."

"Seems like a good plan," Kanae said. "I mean, we won't be reviewing romantic comedies all our lives – we're only going to get better and better roles. What's the chance of finding someone who likes us for ourselves, is cool with our hours, and won't feel threatened by us earning more. Seems like too much to ask."

"I'm sure that you two will find your soulmates," Kyoko said, but without conviction.

"Why are you suddenly advocating true love?" Kanae asked. "Aren't you the one who gets blue in the face whenever the word is mentioned? Who says she will never love again?"

Kyoko winced, because, of course, Moko-san was right. She did say she would never love, and if she never loved, chances were she wouldn't marry either. Of course, the two didn't always go together, but for Kyoko they did, and she wasn't about to go against herself on something so important. But…

Her ideas of love were painfully limited. She had been aware of it, vaguely, but now she was starting to see some other problems that arouse from her decision to shut her heart away, namely, her ability to be a good actress. Maybe she wouldn't sleep with a guy to just know what it was like, but how was she to play fairies and princesses if she had no idea of what real love was like? Her experience with Sho didn't count – for one thing, the guy had treated her more like a maid, or a pet, than a loved one, she couldn't possibly use him as a base of comparison.

Her grudges were uncharacteristically silent when her thoughts veered in that direction. In fact, they'd been rather quiet ever since she confronted him in the park. She imagined him in her head, but didn't feel the bile and outrage that usually accompanied him. She went further, remembered him stealing her first kiss, but… still nothing. It was as if she was looking at a silly souvenir – she must have felt something when she got it, but now she couldn't imagine why she'd keep something like that around.

Was it possible that she'd demystified Sho, finally? Had she finally seen him as the idiot he was?

Kyoko suddenly felt scared, as if the rug had been pulled away from her. Did her revenge not matter either?

And then, as fast as she'd freaked out, she was calm again. Her revenge hadn't mattered for a long time. In fact, she could pinpoint the exact moment when she had stopped caring about defeating Sho. "I went into acting to discover the new Mogami Kyoko."

That was what she had said, to Tsuruga-san. Her heart gave a painful lurch, and the feelings returned, like a spring tide, washing over her. The desperation, the craving, the hunger. She wanted to see him. Hear his voice. Touch him…

Oh, crap!

"Oh, my, look at the time," she said, suddenly. "I really have to go, before I'm late for my other job. You guys will be doing alright?" And without waiting for an answer, she was out of the room, as if hell was on her heels.

Kanae and Chiori shared a glance, a mixture of annoyance and confusion. It was as if that girl would never get over the threshold of revelation.

And she'd been so close to it, too!

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><p><strong>AN Reviews make me a happy gal. And considering the amount of presentations I have to give, I can use some happiness. **

**This chappie was longer than the others, I know. And a little long-winded. But I realized when I sat down that I needed to figure someone's motivations before I decided to up the rating of this story. **


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Skip Beat! If I did, there'd be images to go with this plot.**

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><p>"Are you really planning to never marry?" Kanae asked. She and Chiori were in the LoveMe! department's room, clearing up after they had finished watching the drama. It was two hours after Kyoko had left, and they'd had plenty of time to stew over everything they'd said to her, and to each other.<p>

"Hm? Oh, well…" Chiori shrugged. "I guess I never gave it serious thought. Even when I was Keisei, I wasn't dreaming of white dresses and happily ever afters. My career always came first. But… well, I never thought it would become an issue, not until I was at least thirty. I assume that it will happen, some day, but why should I spaz out over it?"

Kanae nodded.

"Seems like a good plan. But I just thought it would be annoying if I had two Kyokos on my hands."

Chiori punched her arm lightly. "Oh, so you're planning on marrying, Ms "I-don't-want-to-star-in-a-period-piece-because-my-character-is-clingy-and-dependant-on-men"? Didn't you yourself say that we have a lower chance of marrying if we become rich and famous?"

"I didn't say it would easily solve our problems if we fall for someone in the industry," Kanae said. "Someone of equal acting ability, and someone mature enough to maintain a relationship that would be analyzed by anyone in the public."

"That so? Got anybody on your mind?"

"No! It's just… purely theoretical!" Actually, Kanae had been worrying about Kyoko. Her friend's crush on Tsuruga-san was fine for now, but it had the potential to turn into a highway pile-up if it went unchecked. And while she knew that Tsuruga Ren would never hurt her friend (because she'd end him otherwise), she didn't know what would happen with their… relationship in the long term.

And Kyoko wasn't the kind of girl who would accept anything but forever. Kanae asking her if she would settle for a casual relationship had been more like a joke than an actual question – Kyoko wouldn't settle for less than true love, let alone a fling.

Was Ren capable of giving her what she wanted… what she deserved?

She shared this with Chiori as they closed up and went out. "Don't you think you worry too much?" the other girl said. "I mean, it's Kyoko's life. She should be able to do what she wants. You said it yourself – you wouldn't let a guy dominate you. How are we different?"

"I guess you're right. But, really, can you imagine what would happen if Kyoko confesses to him and he plays around with her? Can you imagine the fallout we'd have to deal with?"

Chiori winced, which in Kanae's opinion was too mild of a reaction. But then again, Chiori had never faced off Kyoko's grudges when they were at their worst. She hadn't met Kyoko until the girl had had a serious acting role under her belt, and had grown a little. Kanae had known her before she'd had a single female friend, when she'd been with the wounds from Sho's betrayal still fresh in her heart.

She'd been terrifying. And Kanae would be damned before she let that Kyoko come to being again.

"But Kyoko really needs to learn how to love," Chiori said. "Isn't that the whole meaning of this section? To have her… to have us, rediscover all our emotions? To have us act with love, and not hatred?"

"That's true," Kanae said as they got in line in front of a Ramen booth. "But really, Tsuruga Ren? Do you honestly think she will ever be able to walk in public again without being grilled about it?"

She really should have considered that before saying something so shocking in a public place.

* * *

><p>Yashiro Yukihito paused automatically, as you do, when he heard his top client's name. It wouldn't have been much of a surprise, had he not heard it from one of Kyoko-chan's friends. He saw the familiar pink jumpsuits first, followed by the familiar forms of Kotonami Kanae and Amamiya Chiori. The two girls seemed too engaged in their discussion to notice him, but he could see the agitated gestures, the furtive glances.<p>

Like most men, he knew when women discussed his brothers in arms. And he knew exactly who they were talking about.

"Excuse me, ladies," he said, loud enough to cut in, and gave them a benign smile. Chiori and Kanae froze and gave him identical deer-in-the-headlights looks. "Amamiya-san, Kotonami-san. I hope you've had a nice day."

"Hello, Yashiro-san," Kanae said, relaxing slightly when the manager gave no indication that he'd heard what she'd been telling her colleague. "We're fine, and yourself?"

"Oh, can't complain. Is Kyoko-chan not with you tonight?" He feigned surprise. In reality, he knew exactly where she was – playing the part of Setsuka Heel right next to Ren – but he couldn't let the girls know that.

"She had to leave," Chiori said. "Shame, since we were going to get dinner together. And you, Yashiro-san? Isn't Tsuruga-san with you tonight?"

"I finished early. We both did," Yashiro amended quickly, hoping that they hadn't noticed his slip. He tried covering up. "Tell you what, since it's a short day, how about I buy you ladies dinner? You look like you earned it."

Kanae narrowed her eyes. Much as she mistrusted Tsuruga Ren, with his unshakable gentlemanly smile, she had a lot more weary of Yashiro Yukihito, who not only managed to deal with paparazzi without breaking a sweat, but also never gave away his client's secrets. Well, to anyone but Kyoko, it seemed. The man was more inscrutable than Tsuruga, a feat in itself, but there was something about the way he smiled that made her wonder what exactly he thought.

She didn't like it.

Chiroi, however, was all in for it, and before Kanae could so much as send her a frosty glare, the three were walking down the street, looking for a restaurant without a line waiting to get in. They were just rounding the corner when Chiori gasped and grabbed Kanae's hand.

"Shit! It's him!"

"Something the matter, Amamiya-san?" Yashiro asked, frowning.

"Not… now…" Chiori muttered, while pulling Kanae towards her. "It's him. My ex. Don't look!" she whisper-yelled when Kanae tried to glance behind her shoulder.

"Is he troubling you?" Yashiro asked. Well, you had to hand it to him, the guy had good ears, Kanae thought as Chiori released her and started walking again.

"No. Yes. Maybe," Chiori said. "He called my house a few times, but I just thought he forgot some of his stuff with me. I never thought he'd come looking for me in the company!"

Kanae and Yashiro used another corner to look behind. Sure enough, a lanky guy with black hair was dragging behind them. He looked vaguely familiar, but they couldn't pin him down. They took a different route, just to see what he would do, then turned around and walked right past him. He stumbled, but before he could turn around, they ducked in another alley.

"We have to change out of these," Kanae said. "Yashiro-san, give us two seconds." She grabbed Chiori's hand and they both ran into the nearest public bathroom. By the time Chiori's ex spotted Yashiro, he was alone, playing with his phone as if he had no trouble in the world.

Five minutes later, two girls emerged from the bathroom, one dressed fashionably, one fixing the tie of her uniform. Both had their hair up in tight buns. A bystander wouldn't have noticed anything particularly strange – the two of them approached Yashiro, said something to him, and then the fashionably dressed girl bowed and left. The schoolgirl and Yashiro stood at the corner for a while longer, just talking, before continuing down the road. Then, if the bystander was especially observant, he'd see a tall youth follow the couple, almost retracing their steps in the snow.

* * *

><p>"Is he still behind us?" Kanae asked, raising her collar to cover her face.<p>

"Yes. But if it's any consolation, he doesn't seem very threatening."

"Let's not count our blessings yet." Chiori had told her the guy was harmless, but if he went as far as to wait in front of LME for her, he obviously had a few things on his mind. Hopefully, by the time he realized that he was following the wrong girl, Chiori would be safe home. And if he tried to do anything, Yashiro was there. Well… it wasn't much of a consolation, given that Yashiro looked like a gust of wind could topple him over, but still…

"So tell me, why aren't you making your charge eat?" she asked, hoping to take her mind away from this uncomfortable situation. "Don't you know Kyoko would kill you if you let him starve himself?"

"Ren is a big boy. I'm sure he can take care of himself," Yashiro said. _Besides_, he added to himself,_ Kyoko herself will make Ren eat, that's for sure._ "Although, if you think Kyoko-chan would feel calmer, I can make him take her to dinner so that she can see him eat with her own eyes."

"_That_ won't be necessary."

Yashiro pretended affront. "Ouch!"

Kanae's expression softened, but only by a notch. "I didn't mean to snap. I just… I'm nervous, and wanted to fill the time."

"That much is understandable," he said, while tossing a quick look over his shoulder. "Still it's an interesting reaction."

"I'm an interesting person." Kanae shrugged. "And I don't think it's that much of a stretch. Tsuruga Ren is the most famous actor in Japan – I don't think the public would think he's just friends with Kyoko if they're seen having dinner together."

"Ah, true enough," Yashiro said. "But surely she can do worse."

Kanae sighed. "I don't think he's a bad actor, Yashiro-san, but he's deeply mistaken if he thinks that this act he pulls off with Kyoko makes him look like a good guy. He says she's just his kouhai, but goes through extreme trouble to help her learn a role and boost her self-confidence. Then he does a complete 180 when someone else shows her kindness, throws a hissy fit and pretends that she has disgraced all actors. He tells her not to date guys but then kisses her on the cheek. Yes, she told me," she said, throwing Yashiro a triumphant glance. "He may be Japan's Top Actor, but he sure as Hell can't make his mind up about his feelings."

"I'm sure he has his reasons."

"And aren't you quick to defend him?"

Yashiro winced, because he that comment really had hit a little too close to home. It was true – he was quick to defend Ren, no doubt a Pavlovian reflex of having spent four years as his manager. Now that he did know his client's reasons, he honestly couldn't decide on whether they merited all that secrecy. "Why don't we go in this restaurant? It looks like we won't have to wait for a table," he said, and placed his hand on Kanae's lower back to steer her inside. But they had just passed the threshold, when Chiori's boyfriend caught up with them, whirled Yashiro around, and punched him in the jaw.

* * *

><p>Kyoko had taken a habit of falling asleep before him. Ren didn't think much of it – he never took their sempaikouhai relationship too seriously to begin with – and he expected her to have dozed off when he finished with his shower, but she was still up and about, bustling around the kitchenette. The table was set for dinner, with only one plate.

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

"I'm not hungry," she said, as she washed the dishes. Again, nothing unusual, Setsuka was definitely the kind of girl that would omit dinner. But there was something about her posture that gave her away – a tension to her shoulders, her back, ramrod straight. She was nervous.

He ate in silence, contemplating just how he would get her to spill, when she suddenly set aside the pan she'd been soaping up, and turned to face him. If he had any doubts, her face made him absolutely sure. She wasn't Setsu. She was Kyoko.

"Sempai, can I ask you a question?"

Ren was so startled he didn't even scold her for breaking character. "Sure. What is it?"

Kyoko took a deep breath. "Are you… happy?"

"Happy?" He blinked. "In what way?"

"Are you… pleased with where you are now?" Kyoko asked. Her courage was starting to give up on her, and she was desperately hoping that he wouldn't make her elaborate much further. "Is this where you wanted to be? Is there… nothing else you want?"

Ren could probably think of a dozen things he wanted, but he was pretty sure that he'd throw her in the deep end if he told her. So he shrugged. "I'm content. I'm healthy and have wonderful friends. Some people can't have even that."

Kyoko bit her lip, swallowed, and said, "Are you really? You don't seem pleased about being saddled with me."

His face closed up immediately. "Mogami-san, I believe I already told you that it's fine." His comments rang hollow, even to him. "You're a very competent person and you handle difficult situations in ways which I could never achieve as Cain Heel. You are very important for this project."

Kyoko clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm very grateful that you help me out, truly, I am. But you don't have to force yourself to be kind to me. If you really don't want to come with me to the function tomorrow, I'll understand."

She'd been thinking about it, and the more she did, the more she convinced herself that it wasn't fair of her to throw herself at Tsuruga-san. He was probably torn up over being rejected by the girl he loved, and nobody could act rationally at times like these. She knew it well enough, and she didn't want him to do something they'd both regret out of grief and anger.

But Ren didn't know that. And he certainly didn't want her to be grateful.

Sitting up, he made his voice as cold and as cutting as possible: "There is nothing to thank me for, Mogami-san. After all, I'm just doing my job. If you really knew to take advantage of an opportunity, I wouldn't be trying so hard with you."

That made her freeze up. "What?"

He didn't sneer. Tsuruga Ren didn't sneer. But the look he gave her was the equivalent of it. "You don't seem to realize how many opportunities there are for you to improve your acting. Maybe if you did, you'd show a more convincing Setsuka."

Her fists balled up. "Are you saying that I'm not convincing enough?"

"You tell me," he said, and dumped his plates into the sink, before reverting to Cain Heel. "Bedtime. We have to get up early tomorrow."

Kyoko stood motionless for a few seconds, before nodding. "Yes, brother."

He was already wearing pajama bottoms when he sat in bed, but he didn't move to lay down. He was looking at her expectantly as she retrieved her own nightwear, and just as she turned towards the bathroom, he sighed. Kyoko froze, recognizing the 'no good' signal, and felt her aggravation rise. _What does he want me to do? I haven't even done anything?_

And then she realized… Setsuka Heel wasn't embarrassed of undressing in front of her brother. Not once. In previous nights, one of them had always been in bed before the other finished showering, so there hadn't been a problem of staying always in character. And Tsuruga-san had always been forgiving of her little quirks, the small things she did to preserve her modesty.

But not now.

Fury rose within her. Fury, and something else. Determination. So he thought he could boss her around? Show a little displeasure and have her scamper to get back into his good graces? No. She wasn't going to let him scold her like a schoolgirl and give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to her. _Not a convincing Setsuka, huh? Well, let's see what he'll do when I give him exactly what he wants_, Kyoko thought.

Ren had expected her to blush and freeze up. Maybe scamper and yell about Japanese modesty, blush in maidenly indignation and hide in the bathroom. He honestly didn't expect her to start stripping then and there…

So when she promptly unbuttoned her pants, he could only gawk.

Be Setsu, Kyoko thought, as she undressed. She took care to move slowly, making herself look as casual as if she did this all the time. She folded her pants, then unbuttoned her top and shimmied out of it as well. In her camisole and panties, she sorted through her underwear drawer until she came up with an appropriate pair of shorts and tank. Throughout the whole thing, she was acutely aware of the eyes boring into her back, but didn't turn around to meet her sempai's gaze. The whole experience felt surreal, as if she was having a very, very lucid dream. She didn't acknowledge him, yet she felt his eyes on her throughout the whole time, and she felt, deep inside of her, something dark and excited being kindled.

Ren, meanwhile, was in Hell. He couldn't look away, and he certainly couldn't ignore what was right there in front of him. Of course, he told himself, this is what Setsuka would do. But… surely her brother wouldn't look at her in the way he did. There was a line between brotherly devotion and… this.

And damn it, it looked like she knew what this did to him. The way she paused to pull her hair away from her neck, the way she stretched so her tank top could rise and show off the bare skin of her back… and those shorts! Seriously, she must have chosen the tiniest, most tight pair she had, just so that she could taunt him with those legs.

He turned and lay down before she could see him. Even without a mirror, he knew exactly what he looked like – mouth pressed tight, nostrils flaring, eyes dark and intense… he was a man on the verge of snapping, and she was jumping on the string, wearing it even thinner.

And just as he thought he'd salvaged the situation, he felt the bed dip under her weight and she settled against his back. "Goodnight, brother," she said.

It was his turn to freeze up. This wasn't just her usual acting – she was actually, legitimately taunting him. Of course, he'd just called her inadequate (just not in so few words), and now she was proving him wrong. And damn it if she didn't know exactly what to do to make him nervous.

This wasn't just an act. It was a challenge. It was a tug-o-war, a silent battle, to see which one of them would break character first.

Ren cursed a blue streak, and then turned around so that he could wrap his arms around her. She smiled a content smile and rested her head on his shoulder, while he put his hand over her waist and let his fingers settle on that warm, satiny skin. _Screw it_, he thought as she basked under his caress, _if I'm going to Hell, I might as well go with a bang._

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><p><strong>AN Shameless self promotion time!**

**I might not update very frequently during November, folks, as I'm doing the NaNoWriMo. If you're doing it too, though, and want to be buddies, I'm brouillons! **

**I'm also a contributor at thebooklantern (dot) com, so if you're interested in seeing me rant about YA and feminism along with an awesome group of ladies, come and check us out.**


	7. Chapter 7

_I'm going to kill Chiori._

That was what Kanae thought, for the umpteenth time, while she waited for Yashiro to finish the paperwork. Not only had she spent the night in the Emergency Care unit, babysitting Tsuruga Ren's manager while he waited to get checked out, but she'd also had to deal with the police, hospital staff, and any chance person who recognized him. On top of all, between negating questions, dodging cameras and helping Yashiro get on the X-Ray without turning it off, she hadn't had the time to put a single bite in her mouth.

Who would have thought that a little scuffle would result in so much trouble?

"Thank you for helping me out, Kotonami-san," Yashiro said, bringing her out of her brooding.

"It's nothing," she said automatically. "Did they give you the keys to the cell yet?"

"Yes." He smiled. "We can leave now, if you'd like."

She shrugged. As they exited the hospital, she saw him checking his phone out again. "Nobody's called," she said. "And honestly, if they did, there's nothing you can do at this time of night."

"Night? It's nearly dawn," Yashiro said, pointing at the sky. Indeed, the sky over the rooftops had began to lighten. Soon enough, morning would be upon them, and Kanae would have to race across town to get to her locations, chugging coffee all the way just so that she could keep standing. She winced, imagining the looks her colleagues would give her when she arrived, disheveled and tired, in Chiori's clothes.

"This sucks," she muttered.

"Long day ahead?" Yashiro asked. He, too, had watched his companion all night long, and had seen her frustration grow with every moment they spent in the ER. At first, he'd thought it would be a good idea for them to talk, but the night had been long, the people – annoying, and those plastic chairs in the waiting room just didn't predispose people for a chat. Both of them were, by now, frustrated and tired, and he could want nothing more than a chance to crash in and sleep. But Kanae didn't look like she had that luxury, and he was anything if not a gentleman. "How about I buy you some breakfast?"

She gave him a wry look. "After what happened last night, do you really think it's a good idea to try and buy me any food?"

"Usually, I would agree with you, but given that even the dogs are asleep, I think we can risk it this one time."

If Kanae thought about any kind of objections, they were rendered useless because her stomach growled. Loudly. "Fine. But if somebody punches you again, you'll be taking yourself to get scanned. I have a job."

* * *

><p>The paper cups were everywhere. Some were overturned to make a good base, and over them were build tiny towers.<p>

"How many coffees have you had since morning?" President Takarada asked, while simultaneously wondering which one he could pull out without bringing the whole structure down. Ren was either not listening, or didn't catch the sarcasm.

"How many of them are there?" he asked.

"More than I feel comfortable with. I don't want you dropping character because you were too caffeinated."

"It's not my fault the beverage machine makes these tiny portions," Ren said. "And I needed to wake up."

"Oh? Another all-nighter? I thought the filming ended early. Did something happen with Kyoko-chan?" Ren didn't answer, but he needn't have. The tortured expression on his face must have said it all, because Lori just pounced on him. "You beast! What did you do to her?"

"What? Nothing!" Ren looked around, casting a worried glance around. But there was nobody in the vicinity – Jerry Woods had already stripped Kyoko of her character and sent the girl on her way, while Sebastian had quickly cleared the whole floor of anyone who could interrupt Ren's briefing with the boss.

"Obviously something happened. Anyone who looks at you can tell you haven't had a wink of sleep. And not in the good way either," Lori said. "Did you two have another fight? I thought I told you to stop being an ass to her. How do you expect to attend the ceremonies tonight if you can't even look at each other?"

Ren groaned. The ceremonies. He'd forgotten completely about them. He would have to sleep the day away if he wanted to bring his A game on. As for the rest… "How did you learn about the first one?" he demanded, horrified.

"Oh, so there was one," Lori said. "I didn't know. But I suspected there might be something. Kyoko-chan looked awful after your little accident."

"She did?" he murmured, trying not to feel pleased about it. There was nothing to be happy for – if anything, it only proved that it took a near-death experience to remind her that he was a mortal man. "And we didn't have a fight… I mean, not in the traditional sense of the word…"

"How many kinds are there?" Takarada asked. "As far as I know, there is only one, and it involves a lot of shouting."

_Well, there was shouting. And accusations. And stripping. _Ren winced. _Don't think about that. Focus on something else. Something innocent. Don't remember how long her legs looked, or how good she felt pressing against you… oh, crap._

"I don't think Mogami-san took my scolding any worse than she usually does," he said, lamely.

"Ren, she takes your scolding very seriously," Takarada said. "You know how much your opinion matters to her. Did you tell her something cutting?"

"If I did, it was because she was being self-depicting again," Ren said. "She's an actress – she can't always doubt herself."

"And you thought she deserves scolding?"

"For all it's worth, she got back to me tenfold."

Lori's eyes lit up. "Oh, so she fought back? Do tell!"

Of course, he would think this is the best thing in the world, Ren thought. The thing was, he'd hoped that, at some point, she would break character and leave him alone. He'd been awaiting morning just so that she would realize what she'd done and react. But instead of blushing or stammering, she'd reverted to Setsu first thing, and he'd had to take his frustration to the bathroom for a suspiciously long shower.

At least she hadn't burst in on him this time.

He muttered something under his breath.

"What's that?" Lori asked. "I couldn't understand, Ren. For a second there I thought you said you two cuddled."

He buried his face in his hands. He didn't need to look at the president to know when the realization hit.

"No way," Lori said. "She willingly came in your bed? And spooned against you? Mogami Kyoko actually did that?" Well, who knew? Apparently the scared kitten had claws, and wasn't afraid to use them. The president smiled, imagining how his protégé had taken this change, and what this meant. This was getting better and better by the minute. "Ren, you do realize there's nothing wrong with that, don't you?"

"You're mad," Ren said. "It's a disaster."

"Not at all. It means she's growing up. She's not as sheltered and shy anymore. It's an important lesson she has to learn, that she can't let people walk all over her."

"And she proves this… how? By doing exactly what they don't expect her to do? She can end up killing herself."

"Ren, be honest," Takarada said. "Is this a genuine concern, or are you just annoyed you can't boss her around anymore? You do know that sooner or later, she would stand up to you. Are you having second thoughts now?"

"No!"

"Well, then, what's the problem?"

"The problem is that we spent the entire night in bed together!" Ren said. "I don't know what to do with her anymore. If this goes on…"

"What? You'll tell her how you feel?"

"Yes."

"Is that so bad?"

Ren sighed and got up. "You know why this is bad. Don't pretend it wouldn't be a disaster. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need rest."

* * *

><p>"Kyoko-chan, stop frowning, your messing up your lipstick," Jerry said.<p>

She released her bottom lip and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jerry-san. I guess that I'm more nervous about this than I thought."

"That much I can tell. You look like you'd rather be anywhere but here," Jerry said. Although it couldn't just be stage fright, she could tell. They didn't call you the witch of the make-up world just because you had a talent of putting lipstick – hers was a job that required some acute people skills. "What's the matter? Is it the paparazzi?"

"Oh, God, there will be photographers too!" Kyoko moaned.

Jerry winced. "Don't worry about them. They're just annoying men with cameras. Treat them as bugs in the background. I do that."

"But they'll take pictures of me! With Tsuruga-san! How can I bear it!" Kyoko looked horrified.

"Okay, first of all, it's going to be fine. Second, if you dare bite your fingers, I will make your life miserable." Jerry folded Kyoko's hands in her lap and grabbed a curling iron. "Okay, so paparazzi aside, what is the thing with you? Are you worried about Tsuruga-san?"

Kyoko nodded, not even glancing up as Jerry worked. "I'm worried about what he would think of me once this is over and he gets together with this girl he likes. It would be so awkward!" She almost bit her nail, but stopped herself just in time. "And he hates it when he thinks that I did something for him just because it's an assignment. I can't bear to think of what he would do once the truth comes out."

Jerry huffed. As much as she loved her darling (and she did, a lot), she wasn't on the same opinion as him when it came to bringing people together. He seemed to believe that once the feelings were out in the open, everything was hunky dory, and didn't even think about the mess he left behind. In a way, he was the same in nearly every other aspect of his life. And while she did agree that Ren would be better off with Kyoko, the girl obviously wasn't okay with everything suggested.

"Do you want an honest suggestion, Kyoko-chan?" she asked.

Kyoko looked up, her face lighting up. "Oh, would you, Jerry-san? It would be so helpful!"

"Alright. But I'll be frank with you, Kyoko-chan. Don't reject my advice immediately – give it some thought," Jerry said. "I think it's admirable that you're willing to help Ren-chan the way you are. But if you want to retain his good opinion, it won't do to keep referring to him as your sempai."

Kyoko's eyes widened. "But he is my sempai! He's Japan's greatest actor. He's so much better than me, in every possible aspect!"

"Yes, yes. But if you don't want him to be offended with you, you should stop referring to him as your colleague and start accepting him as your friend. You are friends, aren't you, Kyoko-chan?"

Kyoko opened her mouth, and closed it. The truth was that they were friends – she went to him for help, and he came to her whenever he needed support. He made her feel better, in his own weird way, and she fancied she reminded him what was important from time to time (but not in a presumptuous way). In a way, they were as good friends as she was with Moko-san. But… it was just better to think of him as a colleague. Friends implied a shared intimacy, and wasn't too far from… the l word. She was afraid that, if she acknowledged him as a friend, thinking of him in other terms was never too far.

"We are friends," she admitted. "But…"

"No buts. Friends look after each other. He can't object to your help when you're friends," Jerry went on, mercilessly. "Make that clear to him, and then tell him about what Yashiro asked of you."

"Must I?" Kyoko frowned.

"Yes. Friends don't keep secrets from each other. Talk to him, and preferably before the gala." Jerry stepped back and examined her work, before adding some finishing touches to Kyoko's make-up. "You'd be surprised. Honesty is the best policy. There," she said, smiling. "You're ready."

"Thank you," Kyoko said as Jerry took off the cover. "I'm not sure, but you really give good advice."

"Wait a minute," Jerry said. "Before you go, look at yourself at least."

Kyoko sighed and glanced in the mirror… and froze. From the other side, a beauty stared.

Her eyes were huge and expressive. Her lips were red and full. Her coarse hair had been arranged in full, elegant waves, like some Jane Austen heroine. The deep lilac color of her dress offset her glowing skin. She straightened up instinctively into the model stance that Tsuruga-san had taught her. The silk of her skirts rustled with secrets every time she moved.

"Jerry-san…" The words froze in her throat. She felt like she would cry.

"You're gorgeous, Kyoko-chan," Jerry said, warmly. "Don't let anything get you down tonight. Even Ren."

She swallowed, turned around and gave her a hug. "Thank you," Kyoko said. "For… everything. Thank you."

Jerry patted her back. "There, there. Don't mess up your make-up yet." She pulled back and examined her one last time. "Now, go wow Ren."

And wow him she did. Ren had risen to his feet when the two women had entered the room, and for a second, he felt an intense need to sit back down. She was breathtaking.

"Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko asked, shyly. Jerry made motions for him to wake up behind her back. Ren snapped out of it fast.

"Forgive me," he said, took her hand and kissed it. "You look amazing tonight."

Kyoko blushed like a tomato and muttered a thanks. It made Ren thankful that Jerry was still in the room – if they were alone, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself.

* * *

><p>She was unusually quiet, and he made a point of filling the silence with small talk. Once they were in the car, he wondered if perhaps she was afraid of what might happen on the dinner. "You shouldn't worry, Mogami-san," he said as he took a turn… and ended up straight in a traffic jam. Damn it. "It'll be fine," he added.<p>

"What?" she asked, snapping out of her daze.

"The party. Are you worried?"

"Oh, no, that's not it. Jerry-san actually gave me a pep talk before we came out. She's really helpful."

Ren made an approving sound. "Good. You shouldn't let anyone get you down, Mogami-san. It's a great night."

Kyoko nodded, and, when they didn't move for three whole minutes, decided to just let it out. "Tsuruga-san, we're… friends, right?" She said it so fast the words blurred together, but somehow, he understood.

For a second, he couldn't believe his good luck that she was not only talked to him, but that she also considered him his friend. "Yes, we most certainly are," he said, and tried to keep his grin under control. With marginal success.

"Then, as you friend, can I tell you something?"

"Of course, anything."

"And you won't be mad?"

_What kind of an image of me does she have? _"Cross my heart."

"Okay," Kyoko said, and took a deep breath. "I'm worried about you."

Ren stewed over it, and said, "Why?"

"Promise you won't get angry."

"I already did."

"Yashiro-san told me you have problems with… a girl."

It was a good thing they were in the jam, because otherwise he would have crashed the car. Again. He let the panic ride out and said in a careful voice, "Oh, he did, did he?" He saw Kyoko nod. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing much. Just that she is in high school, and that she turned you down. Tsuruga-san," Kyoko said, hurrying while she had the courage, "please don't be angry. As your friend, Yashiro-san was truly worried about you. And… so am I. I know it's presumptuous, but I don't want you to be sad. This girl… I don't know her and what reasons she has, but she made a great mistake turning you down. You shouldn't let her go."

Ren took a long moment to realize that Kyoko didn't know she was the girl… or that Yashiro had probably set her up. He gave a long, tired sigh. "I appreciate your concern, Mogami-san. But what happens between this girl and myself is only our business. Yashiro-san had no business getting you involved." Something else occurred to him. "Does this have anything to do with what we're doing now?"

Kyoko needn't say anything. Her silence gave her away. For a moment, Ren was angry, before grudgingly acknowledging that she'd had him this time. She really knew him better than he gave her credit for. "I see," he said. "Did Yashiro set you up for this?"

"He suggested I ask you to come with me," Kyoko said. "And… President Takarada gave me the invitation. But I chose to do it because I wanted to help you out."

"By making the girl I love… jealous?" He couldn't believe he was saying this to Kyoko. She seemed oddly calm.

"Yes," she said. "Please, Tsuruga-san, don't be angry."

His hands clenched on the steering wheel. "Why are you doing this? Was this an assignment for Love Me?"

"NO!" She took a moment to compose herself. When she spoke again, her voice was small, as if she was confessing something horrible, and was expecting to get scolded. "I just don't want you to be sad. You're an excellent actor, but you're also a wonderful person. You've been there for me whenever I was down. It's not about you being my assignment, or even paying you back for your kindness. I think you deserve everything, and it's not fair that you have to suffer because of this girl."

Ren looked at her. Her head was down and she was clenching her hands so hard he worried her fingers might break. But the fact that she was saying this to him… the fact that she was willing to go so far… it rocked him. More than he liked.

He reached out and touched her shoulder. She started and looked up at him.

"Thank you," he said. "You really are a true friend. But this girl I'm in love with… her situation is much more complicated. It's not all up to her whether to accept me or not."

"Oh," Kyoko said. "I guess I should have spoken to you sooner then. It would have spared you all this trouble."

"Not at all," Ren said, and finally drove the car out of the jam. "I don't regret getting you this dress, Mogami-san. You look lovely." It finally dawned on him that he was going to a party with Kyoko. A party he didn't have to strong arm her into attending. He could hold her in his arms, dance with her, pretend to be her lover… he was starting to love this night. "And since we said we'll attend together, I think it is our duty to do so. Who knows – maybe you were right.

"You do know, however, that we'll have to appear very… close," he added with mischief. "I might have to hold you closer than you are used to."

Kyoko squared her shoulders and gave him a daring smile. "Bring it on… Ren."

He laughed and parked in front of the hotel. Let the games begin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Thank you all for waiting and reading. November was hectic, but I emerged, not only a proud winner of NaNo, but also having hit my year's reading goal. Goodreads is such a fantastic site when it comes to helping my reading!**

**I promise to get back on schedule soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**This one goes to royalbk. Happy Birthday, hon, albeit a very belated one. I wish you the very, very best!**

* * *

><p>Kyoko took her first steps gingerly, as if unsure about her footing, but before she could chicken out of it, the cameras flashed in her eyes, and she plastered on a huge smile.<p>

_You can do this, _she thought, _just don't let them see how frightened you are._

Tsuruga-san stood next to her, probably looking every bit the professional gentleman… she thought. She couldn't really tell with the flashes going off every two seconds and making her blink away the black spots, but she was certain he was the model of decorum.

He placed his hand on her lower back in a distinctly ungentlemanly gesture and steered her inside.

She tried to ignore the way every nerve in her body lit up, and she knew that the telltale blush was creeping up her neck. At this rate, she wouldn't have to act at all – Japan would be convinced she was in love with Tsuruga Ren by tomorrow.

He led her to the hotel lobby, took her coat, and then offered their tickets to the waiter, although no such thing was necessary. The man took one look at them, melted into bows and smiles, and led them in the ballroom.

Kyoko paused in the doorway, all thoughts of photographers momentarily forgotten. She was in a fairytale.

She had been to several parties already, one of which she had organized and thrown herself, and yet this… this was beyond her wildest dreams. The elegance, the spark, the sophistication of the event was nothing like she had ever seen. _Or is it just Tsuruga-san? _She wondered as she took his offered hand and let him lead her around the ballroom. They stopped to talk to people, smiling and making introductions, and a miracle happened – suddenly, she was no longer self-conscious or terrified, clumsy or insecure. She was Mogami Kyoko, an actress, and she was part of all this.

Ren watched her with the corner of his eye, waiting for a cue to take her away from all the hustle and bustle, but it never came. Instead, she relaxed against him completely, allowing herself to be led, to smile and to be cheerful. _That's my girl, _he thought proudly, thinking of how different she was from that time she and Kijima had appeared on the Dark Moon party. Back then, she'd been nervous and her smiles had been just the tiniest bit forced. But this time… this time she was not afraid to go all out.

He pitied the people who happened to be exposed to that cheerfulness. It was overwhelming.

By the time they'd finished making the rounds and introductions, the drinks had been poured and people were being escorted to their tables. As he pulled out a chair for her, he saw her hesitate.

"Is everything alright?" he whispered. She shook herself and sat down quickly.

"Yeah," she said, just as quietly. "It's just so surreal, to be here as a guest."

"You have been to other parties," he said as he took his own seat. "Don't tell me you don't remember the Christmas extravaganza you and Maria-chan threw. It was a raging success. Not to mention the Dark Moon party."

"Where you made a point of embarrassing me," she said, wrinkling her nose. "And the Christmas party doesn't really count. I just helped organize it. This is the first time I actually feel like Cinderella going to the ball."

Ren laughed, picked up her hand and kissed it. "Well then, allow me to make sure this night doesn't disappoint, princess." He did it deliberately, both to give the photographers some nice shots and to fluster her. His effort was well rewarded – she blushed like a tomato. "Also, Kyoko-chan, you look beautiful tonight."

She looked away and touched her hair self-consciously. "You already said that."

"Yes, ages ago. If your partner doesn't comment on how beautiful you look at least thrice a night, he's not worth having," he said, before turning to survey the room. "It seems like the party will go on for a while. You know what that means, don't you?"

Lots of socializing… lots of fake gestures… lots of touching. _Be still, my beating heart, _Kyoko thought.

* * *

><p>"Really, you don't have to," Yashiro said, but Kanae had already marched him into her house.<p>

"You took me for breakfast, took me to my first shoot, and then to dinner. If anything, you can at least accept a cup of coffee." Well, coffee was the last thing on her mind at the moment, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

Kanae wasn't a fool. She knew that if a man took a woman out for meals he probably had some ulterior motive. Of course, Yashiro Yukihito wasn't the kind of man you'd think would go about sex in this way, but she'd seen worse.

She'd half expected him to make an advance halfway through dinner, but when that didn't come, she'd started wondering if he didn't need a beard instead. It was known to happen. But he kept turning the conversation towards his client and her friend, and she'd started to realize what was going on. He wasn't trying to get with her. He was trying to wheedle for information.

Well, two could play at that game.

She waited until the coffee had brewed and she had served the cups, before saying, "I can't help but notice you are preoccupied, Yashiro-san."

He didn't answer, taking the cup from her and sampling the beverage. His eyes were closed as he inhaled the fumes, and he brought the rim to his lips slowly, as if he was performing a ritual. He had an odd air about him, clumsy yet dignified, which made him stand out even in the company of his very striking charge. Kanae had caught herself staring at him more than once in the past twenty-four hours, trying to decipher what was it about him that puzzled her so.

"You have a lovely home, Kanae-san," he said, looking around. "It's very warm."

"Um, thank you," she said. To be fair, Kyoko had helped her out with the decorations, but she wasn't going to admit that. "But you're avoiding the subject, Yashiro-san. Is there something bothering you?"

He turned the cup in his hands carefully. Buying time, she realized, he was buying time. "I suppose I am."

"Something about… work?" She wasn't going to outright suggest it was Ren, but the implication hung between them.

"Yes," he said, and looked away. "Ren's accident has had some very negative consequences on his image, which means a lot of work. I honestly don't mind it, but… sometimes I wonder about that guy."

"Care to share?" she asked, and pulled out a tin of sweets from the cupboard for good measure. They were a gift from Kyoko, one of the many she lavished on her fellow Love-Me sisters, and her new secret weapon. Nobody could tell a lie if he had one of those things in their mouth, Kanae thought as she offered Yashiro one.

"He's very troubled," he said. "Sometimes, I think it's just because he's stressed out, but now, I don't think so. He's been fighting with Kyoko-chan more. I wonder…"

"You wonder if she shot him down?" Kanae asked, cutting to the chase. "I don't think so, Yashiro-san. I mean, she's going with him to the awards ceremony tonight. I don't think she'd do it if there was the slightest chance of their behavior being taken wrong." This was the woman who had founded the "Movement of Japanese Maidens", for crying out loud. There was no way in Hell that she would put herself in any compromising position.

Except… Kanae remembered her questions from a few days ago, and how she'd been shocked when Chiori had shared her desire to put her career first, and love for later. Kyoko was changing, and for better or for worse, Tsuruga Ren had started to notice that too. Maybe she was starting to give up her childish fantasies, or maybe it was her going back to her shell. Either way, it had spooked him real good.

"I don't think Kyoko is the one you should be worried about," she said at length. "I'd hate to say it, Yashiro-san, but your client is hardly a cherub."

She expected him to deny it, to launch into a passionate defense of his charge like any good manager would do. Only Yashiro just stood there, looking down at the coffee in his hands, frowning like a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And just as she thought this couldn't get any weirder…

"You're right," he said.

Kanae blinked. "Huh?"

"You're right. Ren is not exactly the poster boy for gentlemanly behavior. He's petty, he's selfish, and sometimes, he can be very cruel," Yashiro said, look up at her. "Yesterday, you said I was quick to defend him. You were absolutely right about that. I guess I'd just spent so much time being his… guardian, that I don't know how to look at a situation objectively."

"It's not your fault," she said, not believing her own ears. Didn't she think he was Tsuruga Ren's wingman? But there was a sincerity to Yashiro's tone, to his expression, that rendered her cynicism completely useless. "He's your client, not a brother. You're not obliged to know everything about him, or to protect him from all evil."

He nodded. "Yes, but I thought we were friends… well, I guess that's me being stupid," he said, and downed the rest of the coffee as if he wished it was something more potent. "Sorry, Kanae-san, I didn't mean to spoil the mood."

"That's fine," she said. And she meant it. In a way, she understood. "It's a little depressing, when your only friend is your colleague," she said, surprising herself. She never meant to say something so intimate.

"Tell me about it," he said. "It's horrible when you spend your weekend with the same people you go to work with. It's like a seven-day week."

"And you feel betrayed when they get an actual life."

"And you don't know what to do with yourself."

"Exactly," she said. "God… I feel like a horrible person right now."

"What does that make me then?" Yashiro shook his head. It dawned on her then why she was so puzzled about him – she was sensing it, that kinship between them.

"Here, let me pour you some more coffee," she said, scrambling to fill the silence.

Yashiro tried to say no, their hands tangled and somehow they ended up with Kanae spilling hot coffee on her hands. Suddenly, captain Clumsy left the building – Yashiro took the pot away from her and had her hands under cold water in record time. The spray was freezing, but his hold on her didn't wane. She could only stare as the water ran down their joined hands and shiver at the dual sensations.

"You should wrap those up," he said, and she found herself staring straight into his eyes. Suddenly, she knew exactly why Kyoko said this guy had a Curtain of the Night look. Those eyes froze you in place.

He blinked, dissipating whatever spell he had cast. "I'm sorry, I stayed for too long. You're probably tired."

"Yashiro-san…"

"Wrap these in gauze and go see a doctor tomorrow," he said. "Don't worry, I'll show myself out."

Before she could open her mouth again, he was gone, straight out of the door and into the night.

* * *

><p>Of three things she was absolutely sure.<p>

One, when people said awards, they usually meant an hour of speeches preceded by a hell of a lot of socializing.

Two, she had to visit the chef to beg for his dessert recipe.

Three, she had the nagging feeling Tsuruga-san was planning something.

Kyoko took another spoonful (some kind of sponge with mascarpone, as far as she could tell), and closed her eyes, enjoying the taste. Bonus points – if she pretended to be engrossed in the culinary wonder in front of her, Tsuruga-san might not do whatever he was planning to do.

He ran the tips of his fingers leisurely up and down the naked curve of her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to make her toes curl into her strappy sandals.

O-kay… or he might choose the most intimate way of getting her attention.

She was starting to wonder if perhaps she wasn't out of her depth when she opened her eyes and was met with… well, not Emperor of the Night, but definitely not the Sun God either. It was a blend between the two, and she realized that the only reason he was toning it down was because they were in public.

Definitely out of her depth.

She put in a sweet, Setsu-like smile. "Yes, Ren?" _Ooh, very good, Kyoko, now try it without your hands shaking. You're wasting dessert, _the furies whispered. He leaned in to whisper in her ear and she had to drop the spoon.

"I was wondering," he said, his hand not leaving her back, "if you would like to dance?"

She blinked and looked at the dance floor, as if just realizing that there were couples twirling there. She swallowed, and ransacked her brain for ideas.

In her little girl dreams, of course, Kyoko danced every day. She was exceptionally graceful… in her dreams. In real life, she had a hard time keeping her cool when a man was that close – all her attention was on her breathing, not on her legs. The fact that she became especially clumsy around Tsuruga-san didn't escape her either. Accepting his offer would invite disaster, she just knew it, and the last thing she wanted was to embarrass him, herself, or LME.

But… there was a part of her that wanted to be daring tonight, and she wanted to live it until the end.

"Of course," she smiled. For a split second, she thought he froze up.

But then he recovered and, rising, pulled her towards the balcony doors. "Not here," he explained when he saw her puzzled expression.

They moved into the garden, where a separate band had set up. Unlike the mellow classic that played inside the ballroom, the music outside was jazzy, upbeat and lively. Kyoko breathed in the fresh air and felt her insecurities draining away, as she felt the beat. Her legs twitched, restless, and she felt like she could dance even by herself.

Tsuruga-san… Ren, led her to the centre and with one fluid motion swept her into his arms. She barely had time to register his proximity before he was moving.

This was… this was absolutely inappropriate! He wasn't just holding her in the position of the dance, he practically had her molded to him. She looked around frantically to see if anyone noticed, and to her horror, quite a few people were glancing at their direction. She tried to stand straighter and put some distance between them, but he wouldn't break form, and her treacherous legs wouldn't give her enough leverage to break free.

"Relax," he said. "This is how everyone is dancing."

"But… but…"

"Just let me lead," he whispered, and she imagined him pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "I won't let you fall."

To insist on propriety or to make a fool of herself. Some choice, she thought, as she settled against him. But… when she forced herself to relax, she found he was leading her quite well. They were barely moving their feet, but their bodies swayed together, and she could hear the steady beat of his heart underneath her cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, noticing the scent of soap and clean clothes that seemed to hang around him. It was… nice. Pleasant, even.

"You dance very well," he said after breaking away from her to let her twirl. She giggled before he pulled her in again.

"So do you. Another one of the superpowers of Tsuruga Ren, no doubt," she said, smiling coyly. Instead of answering, he stepped back, twirling her again. She felt herself being tipped over and wrapped her arms around his neck. It wasn't until she was halfway down that she realized that he'd bent her.

"T… Ren!" she gasped, but laughed nevertheless when he pulled her up and continued dancing.

"Kyoko-chan," he whispered in her ear as the song changed into a more mellow one, "I want to say something, and I hope you'll allow me to do it while I still have the chance to."

She turned her head to look at him, curiously. His face was serious.

"Thank you," he said. "Not just for this dance, or for tonight. Thank you for everything you're doing for me. It… it really means a lot."

Kyoko swallowed past the lump in her throat. Of course. This was only for tonight. As soon as tomorrow came… no, as soon as he took her home, the magic would be over and she would have to go home, and mend the pieces of her broken heart again. The finiteness of the whole thing struck her like a slap in the face, and she realized that she would never, ever be with him again like this.

She closed her eyes, knowing that he would probably see all the emotions in them in he looked close enough. She didn't want to think about tomorrow. She knew it would come. It might be better, or it might be worse, than today. The world might end, or maybe Ren would get with his girl. It was fine. _Let it be, _she thought, _but let me have this one night._

She let the music sway her, make her perfectly pliant in his arms. He kept dancing, and she took care to match him step for step. He noticed – she could feel his stance changing, his moves becoming more complex as he tried to resist her. He bent her again, and this time, she was not awkward about hugging him, about letting her head fall back and expose the column of her throat.

"Kyoko," he whispered, his voice hoarse and alien. She opened her eyes, and her lips parted in surprise. The Emperor of the Night stared back, but this time, she didn't tremble with fear.

He lifted her up, one hand cradling her neck as if she were something precious. The gentleness of the gesture nearly undid her.

Would he kiss her? Right there, under the fairy lights, with the jazz playing around them and people swaying to the beat? Should she kiss him? Would it matter? Maybe she could write it off as an act well done…

But she wasn't acting. Worse, he knew she wasn't acting.

He swallowed, as if his mouth had suddenly gone dry. "Kyoko," he whispered, but whatever might happen next was lost when a shriek filled the air. Somebody had unplugged one of the microphones while the band was still playing.

They broke apart, red-faced and panting like two children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "I…" She swallowed. "I have to… go freshen up."

"Yes," he said, nodding. "Yes, of course. It's ah… that way."

* * *

><p>She stumbled into the bathrooms as if in a haze. Bracing herself against the sink, she looked up and barely recognized the girl staring back. Jerry's make-up had nothing to do with the change – the look she gave herself was incendiary.<p>

She splashed her face with water, careful not to smudge her mascara, then reapplied her lipstick.

_It doesn't matter, _she told herself, _it doesn't matter. He's in love with someone else. You can't be so low as to kiss him just because… just because you won't have the chance to tomorrow._

Kyoko wanted to wail. Instead, she straightened up and gave herself a once-over.

So… not too bad. Not too bad at all. She would need all her luck if she wanted to make it through alive. And in spite of the colossal humiliation she'd just experienced, there was a happy tingle in her stomach, like she'd just gotten away with something incredibly naughty. Like she had a secret, and that secret made her powerful.

"Took you long enough," someone said, when she opened the door and stepped out. She was about to apologize, when she recognized the timbre of the voice, the way it addressed her.

It wasn't Ren.

It was Sho.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Hate to leave it with a cliffie, but the chapter's gotten long and I have to get up early tomorrow. And the day after. And the one after that. *sigh* Write while you still have the time, loves.**


	9. Chapter 9

The grudges reared in pleasure. Finally, some action! They were getting bored with all that mushy-gushy stuff all evening, and if it went on, the fairies would be absolutely unbearable.

Kyoko clamped down on them, conscious of her surroundings. They were in a corridor, a little away from the party, but there was a chance somebody might come and see them. She was not about to give Sho the chance to have her kicked out… again… because she attacked him.

"Stalking people to the bathrooms? Very classy," she said, calculating escape routes. She wished, desperately, that Tsuruga-san was with her.

"Not nearly as that display you put up in the garden," Sho said. "Do you have a death wish or something? Half the women in the building are in love with Tsuruga Ren, and I can guarantee every single one of them wants you drowned and quartered. Did you not have enough the first time around?"

She took a deep breath. _Not going to kill him, not going to kill him, not going to kill him…. _It didn't help.

"First of all, what T… Ren and I do is our business, not theirs. Second, you know better than anyone that I can hold my own against an angry mob."

Sho snorted. "Yeah, right. Is that why you spent lunch breaks on your knees in the trash, looking for your lunch?"

"Have a nice evening, Sho," she said, skirted around him and made for the exit. Before she could, though, his hand closed around her wrist, squeezing. She whirled around, actually hissing, "What are you trying to do? Get your ass kicked?"

"What are you doing with Tsuruga?" he asked, all pretense gone from his face. "Why are you letting him touch you like that? What game are you playing at?"

She hesitated. She couldn't tell Sho the truth, not yet. He could blow everything, and make everything she'd done so far to waste. So she stood as straight as she could and said, "He escorted me here. And as far as I know, dancing involves touching."

"That's bullshit. He practically ravished you out there," he said, and his eyes blazed. "You actually found that acceptable? Little Miss Hold Out for Marriage?"

Her cheeks burned from the insult, and it was as if he'd slapped her. Shame overwhelmed her, but underneath that, there was also anger. Anger that this ass still affected her the way he did. She just wanted one night to fool herself she was the one who Ren loved, and Sho was ruining it. She made her voice as cold as possible. "I must not have noticed, since I was having a good time. I much more object to the way you're handling me right now."

Sho loosened his grip, but didn't let go. She stood straighter, looking for leverage in case she needed to knee him. How long until somebody came down the corridor anyway?

"That's not you," he said. "The Kyoko I know would never allow a man touch her like that. What are you not telling me?"

"I owe you no explanation, Shotarou," she said. "You ought to know that well enough."

He gritted his teeth. The whole reason he'd come to this stupid party was to see her and… well, he didn't have much of a plan beyond that. But he did know he had to talk to her. The idea that she thought him lower than dirt just didn't sit with him. This was Kyoko, for God's sake! The girl who'd been his childhood friend, the girl who'd looked after him and fed him after he'd come to Tokyo. How could she treat him this way?

"He's a sleaze," Sho said. "A dirty sleaze who's just taking advantage of his position in his company to manipulate you. You don't deserve him."

Unbeknown to either of them, the man they discussed was at the mouth of the hallway, listening to every word. Ren, who had stationed himself between a handy potted plant, had been planning on intervening ages ago, but had found his anger a little harder to control than usual. Seeing Fuwa treat his beloved like she was a rag made him see red. But whatever thoughts of violence he had were interrupted when he heard Kyoko laugh.

"You have some nerve, don't you?" she said. Her eyes were cold. "After everything you did to me, you actually tell me what I can and can't do? Stop right now, before you make a further fool of yourself. Nobody knows what I deserve, you least of all."

Sho snarled.

"Stop playing the victim. I didn't twist your arm and drag you here by your hair. I didn't ask you to martyr yourself. If you'd actually let me buy you things, you wouldn't have felt so betrayed. It would have been a fair trade."

Kyoko stared at him, incredulous. And the most incredible thing happened. She felt light, as if a huge weight had been lifted off her. Fairies and grudges were silent, staring. Her eyes seemed to clear out, and she saw her childhood friend properly, for the very first time. Not as a prince, but not as an enemy either, just as a man.

She noticed the desperation in his eyes, the defensiveness in his posture. The expensive suit and the carefully mussed hair were excellent, but didn't quite fit with the image. He was like a child playing dress up, not like a musician with all the trappings of success. And with that, all of his actions made perfect sense – his sudden interest in her, him protecting her from Reino, him kissing her on Valentine's Day… those things meant nothing. They were just a desperate cry for attention.

_How could have I sworn vengeance on this… idiot?_

"A fair trade?" she said, laughing. "Like it's toys on the playground, or dessert for favors? Oh, you really are a piece of work!"

She wrenched her hand out of his grasp, but instead of running, she faced him full on.

"Let me tell you something, Sho," she said. "If I wanted pretty stuff, if I really cared for them, I would have bought them myself and told you to pay your own damn rent. Maybe I should have, and gotten some more decent sleep. But I didn't, because there are problems that can't be solved with a checkbook.

"So you blindsided me. Fine, I admit it. Congratulations! You tricked a sheltered fifteen-year old girl into abandoning high school to be your personal maid. I hope the knowledge brings you some peace. Personally, I'm fine with it." Saying it, she realized it was the truth. She really was alright. "No, really," she said, when he opened his mouth to contradict her. "I had no friends, no passions, no loved ones. Everyone I know, all of my friends and loved ones, I met because of you. So thanks for that."

"How very Zen of you," he said, sneering.

"You're free to believe what you want," she said. "In the end, I ended up finding a passion. More than one. Things are going well for me. But don't fool yourself that you did me some great favor. All I'd ever wanted was love, Shotarou. You knew that, and you took advantage, dangling it like a bone for me to follow. I may have been stupid to follow you, but that doesn't mean you're a sleaze."

Sho clenched his fists, because what she said had hit straight home. He may have fooled himself, claimed that it was all on her, but in the end of the day, she'd been emotionally vulnerable and he'd known she would follow him anywhere as long as he beckoned.

And as is usually the case when somebody's disillusioned, he lashed out.

"So what? Now you're going to canoodle with Tsuruga Ren to rub my face in?"

She cocked her chin. "Believe it or not, Sho, not everything revolves around you. I'm here because I was invited, and I brought Ren with me. I didn't know you'd be here, but honestly, if I did, it wouldn't have made a difference."

"Yeah, I can tell. You now have somebody to lavish gifts on you." Sho looked at her up and down, and she felt sick, like she had stepped into something nasty. His look clearly said he thought the worst of her. "He bought you those, didn't he? The dress, the shoes, the jewelry? I can see you have no problem with him paying for you."

She wanted to slap him, but instead took a steadying breath. He was just being a baby, as usual. He didn't deserve her anger.

"Petty insults now, Sho? God, you really are a baby."

"What, I'm wrong?" he said, sneering. "Do you really think a man like that would buy diamonds for his kouhai? That trinket you wore the other day cost money."

Kyoko sighed and looked straight into his eyes. He was shocked. She wasn't angry. She wasn't even feigning coldness. Her gaze was absolutely indifferent. "Sho, what are you trying to achieve with this?"

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

What was there for him to say?

She shook her head. "What's happened with you? You used to be my friend."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to keep his feelings at bay. It was a strange sensation, like nothing he'd experienced before. It was as if all warmth and color had drained from the world, leaving him weary and heavy limbed.

From his hideout, Ren let a satisfied smile cross his face. _That's my girl, _he thought, proudly. Kyoko truly didn't need his help to set Fuwa in his place. Just as he was about to go away though, the insolent boy opened his mouth again.

"You're always frank, aren't you?" he said, not believing how tired he sounded.

Kyoko shrugged. If she was perturbed by the change of his tone, she didn't show it. "I was your friend. That's what friends do – they're honest with you."

She'd defeated him, he realized. She might not know it, but she had defeated him. However, Sho wasn't about to go down quietly. "All friends?"

"Yes, all," she said, frowning.

"Can you say that for those people you associate with? That all of them are honest with you?"

She frowned. "What are you getting at, Sho?"

"Are they all honest with you? Or just when it suits them?" Emboldened, Sho pushed on. "Did your boyfriend tell you that Tsuruga Ren isn't even his real name?"

She huffed with exasperation. "Oh, for the love of… of course I know it's a stage name, _Shotarou. _Unless you forgot, you're using one as well."

"But did he tell you who he is in reality? What his name is, who his parents are?"

Kyoko crossed her arms. She realized it was incredibly rude, but she was running out of patience. "Sho, what is the point of this? Why are you suddenly talking about Tsuruga-san?"

She'd slipped into the formal address without thinking, but both men noticed the change. It made Ren worry, and emboldened Sho.

"You told me the other day that other people didn't use stepping stones. That I was the only one who took advantage of you, and that you and your precious sempai have gotten where you are because you worked for it."

"We did work for it." She turned around. "Now, if you'll excuse me, this discussion has gone on for long enough. Goodnight, Shotarou."

"His name is Hizuri Kuon," he called, making her freeze in her tracks. "He's the son of Hizuri Kuu, one of Japan's best actors. Can you still tell me he hasn't gotten where he is because of connections?"

Kyoko's whole body was rigid. Hizuri Kuon… the boy she had impersonated? Hizuri Kuon was in Japan, and she knew him? Hizuri Kuon was… her sempai?

She sighed and turned around to face Sho.

"I don't need to know who he is to tell that he's a first rate actor. And I have seen him act. Goodnight." With that, she swept out of the corridor, leaving Sho to his misery.

Ren didn't have time to step aside when she emerged from the corridor. She stopped dead in her tracks when seeing him. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide… he opted for bluffing.

"Hey, I was just coming to look for you," he said.

"How much did you hear?" Her voice betrayed nothing.

He froze, and before he could come up with a lie, the truth burst out of his mouth. "All of it."

She seemed to consider this, and then shook her head. "Now's not the time. The speeches are about to begin."

He looked like he might object, but she was already moving past him, leaving him with two choices – stand and gape or follow her. And since Tsuruga Ren was not known for losing his cool, he did just that, wondering when he'd have enough time to pull her aside and explain.

* * *

><p>Throughout the first half of the ceremony, Kyoko just put on a serene face and thought. Hizuri Kuon? The son that Otou-san had praised to the heavens was no other than Tsuruga Ren? It was too unbelievable – Sho must have made it up.<p>

And yet… looking at the man beside her, she couldn't help but notice the similarities with Kuu – the broad shoulders, the elegant profile, the aura of dignity that surrounded him like a shield. His coloring threw her off, but maybe his mother had dark hair? It wasn't that implausible.

Thinking about Kuon and Kuu made her even more pissed at Sho. If her sempai hid this from the world, he probably had a good reason to do it. Now she knew and that put them in an awkward situation… well, more awkward than now. Why couldn't the idiot let her be?

And what was that about him using her? Tsuruga-san… Hizuri-san had never used her. Never.

But as soon as that thought came, it was replaced with others. Memories of Ren floated in her mind – him hugging her after the fight with Murasame. Him getting angry with her for going stuff for him because she was a Love Me member. Him warning her to keep her guard against men and to only go to him if she needed clothes or anything else for a party.

She reminded herself that he was her sempai and that he was just looking out for her, but coming in the wake of their little dancing session, those arguments fell flat. And there was something more… she couldn't beat the image of him with blonde hair and blue eyes out of her mind. It was much too easy to imagine, and she had the nagging feeling she had seen him like this before.

And then, like a flash, came an image – Tsuruga-san, in a clearing, surrounded by sunlight. The morning after he'd come from Okinawa, right after she'd been stalked. She'd been so stunned she'd mistaken him for Corn…

The realization hit her like a punch, and she felt herself falter. She shook her head, trying to dissipate the thought, but once formed, it clung like a tick. Corn. Kuon. Blonde hair. Beautiful…

Ren noticed her blanch and reached out to touch her. She shrugged his hand off. "Can we go?" she said, her voice strained. Some award was announced and the hall burst into applause. He waited until the right moment, then took her hand and led her out.

* * *

><p>They retrieved their coats in silence and quickly got into his car. He drove towards the town, casting worried glances in her direction. He longed to ask her what was on her mind, to explain, but the look on her face was ghastly. And, maybe it was a trick of the light, but her skin looked green.<p>

"Drop me off at LME," she said. Her tone worried him – gone was the formal, polite address she usually used, replaced by an incredible urgency.

"I can take you home," he offered. He wasn't sure he wanted her to be alone at this time of night, especially after what she learned. But she gave him a steely look.

"LME's fine," she said.

That look broke him. She'd believed Fuwa. She knew his secret. And she was pissed as Hell.

Before he could formulate an answer, or any kind of plea, they were at their destination, and she was out like a bullet. Pausing only to bow and murmur some vague thanks, she hurried into the building, her heels clicking away.

Well, that was that, Ren thought as he drove home. He'd blown all his chances with her, and this time he had nobody to blame but himself. He drove on autopilot, imagining all kinds of horrid tomorrows. His secret being leaked to the press. His parents coming to Japan. Reverting back to Kuon. Everything seemed better than the prospect of Kyoko never speaking to him again.

He'd have to call the President, he thought. Tell him that it was over, that it was time to kill off Tsuruga Ren, and that he'd be taking the first plane to Timbuktu, never to return again. Yes, he'd do that.

In the morning.

For the time being, he was going to get drunk. Profoundly drunk.

He was home, pouring the first of what he expected to be many, many scotches, when there was a knock on the door. For a moment, he wondered if he had been hearing things, but then the knock repeated, louder than before. Not daring to hope, he went up and opened.

Kyoko stood there, wearing her Love Me uniform. Her face was scrubbed clean of make-up and her hair was pulled back from her face. In her hands was a garment bag.

He was so stunned he didn't know what to say. At least she didn't look sick anymore.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

He nodded and stepped aside. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"You said you wanted to explain," she said. She put her bag down and turned to face him. Her face was serious. "I'm here to listen."

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><p><strong>AN Reviews are a known cure for stress! (well, not medically approved, but then again, neither is Cress toothpaste) Reviews make me a happy gal, at any rate, so do leave some if you enjoyed this.**

**I'm trying to give Kyoko a natural progression. I know it's slow, but I want to explore her character properly. Let me know what you think of that, at any rate.**


	10. Chapter 10

Ren had imagined this moment thousands of times. Granted, in his daydreams, they were in a romantic place, she was rosy cheeked and dreamy eyed, and his confession was usually followed by a sweet "I love you."

Which only showed how these things were daydreams and nothing more. For one thing, Kyoko was not sweet, not like that. For another, his was hardly a confession that could be met with unquestioned acceptance. Then again, he'd never really thought that one day, Kyoko would know his secret, and would demand an explanation. Suddenly faced with the reality of it, he found himself uncharacteristically tongue-tied.

So he did what anyone would do – he stalled.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, licking his lips nervously.

"No thank you," she said.

"Are you sure? Water? Tea? Juice?"

"No."

He swallowed, and opted for the most honest approach. "It would make me feel better if you didn't just stand there like that."

Kyoko opened her mouth to tell him to refuse, but then changed her mind. The faster she accepted, the faster they'd get this over with. "Water, then."

He nodded and hurried to fill her a glass, thinking about the best way to approach this thing. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, the way she stood in his living room, and noticed that she was most certainly not there to just listen. Her whole posture was tense, as if she was waiting to be attacked.

"You could have come with me," he said. "There was no need to walk all the way from LME when we were coming to the same place."

"I wasn't sure if we weren't followed from the party," she said as she accepted the glass. "It wouldn't do good if people saw us come together."

He opened his mouth to say that he could have just disguised himself and not inconvenienced her further, but he knew that the argument would be weak. Even with his dyed hair and contacts, Ren was horribly noticeable. His tall frame, his broad shoulders, it all just set him apart from the crowd in a way that no disguise could hide. Kyoko, on the other hand, only had to change clothes to become unrecognizable.

"That was very thoughtful of you," he said, and he meant it. Even when she was sick, she thought about others.

Kyoko turned away from him, as if it hurt to look directly into his face, and her eyes fell on the still full scotch glass. She frowned. "Have you been drinking?"

Ren swallowed. "I was about to," he confessed. "Would you mind?"

"Yes, actually," she said. She must have noticed his shock, because she gave a rueful smile. "I grew up in a hotel, Tsuruga-san. I have had my share of drunks."

He was about to protest, to point out that she herself had served him alcohol once, and that there was nothing wrong with taking a few swigs every once in a while. But even he realized that there was a difference between scotch on the rocks and the cocktail she'd made. Not to mention that the following conversation was not one he needed to be drunk about.

"Of course. Excuse me," he picked up the glass and dumped it in the kitchen. He returned to find her still standing. "You can sit down, you know."

She nodded, trying to hide her nervousness. In spite of her appearances, she was pretty sure that her whole being shook inside. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what she wanted to hear, and she was pretty sure she didn't want to hear some of the things he had to tell her. But she grit her teeth – this was bigger than her. Bigger than him, even.

_Just take it slow. You don't know for sure if he's Corn._

"You heard what Sho told me," she said, cutting straight to the point. "Didn't you?"

Ren sighed. "Yes. I realize I was wrong to eavesdrop, but…" He shrugged. "I thought you handled it quite well, for what it's worth."

"It has been… an enlightening night," she agreed. "Tsuruga-san… we're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes. Yes, most certainly." _Although I doubt you'd want to be anywhere near me after we're done._

"Then please be honest. Was Sho telling the truth? Are you really O… Hizuri Kuon?"

Ren closed his eyes and nodded.

Kyoko swallowed. "I see."

"You must understand," he said, the words spilling out of his mouth faster than he could stop them. "This really is a big secret. Not even Yashiro knows my real identity." Well, not so big once Fuwa babbled it to all the tabloids, but he preferred to maintain the illusion that not all was lost.

"I'm really sorry, Hizuri-san," Kyoko said, bowing her head. The name felt odd in her mouth, like she was talking to an invisible person. It just didn't connect with the man in front of her. "This is your personal business and that idiot Shotarou had to blast it. I'm deeply regretful."

"It's not your fault that your friend is an ass," he said, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Really, Kyoko, you are in no obligation whatsoever to apologize for him."

She sighed and nodded. An uncomfortable silence descended on them. Ren was wondering if he ought to volunteer any more information and bury himself even deeper, while Kyoko was ransacking her brain for anything else to say. Desperate to end the hush, she said, "The day before you gave me the blue stone, you flew. How did you do that?"

Ren felt his stomach churing. "Oh… you figured that out as well?"

Kyoko let out a sigh. "I do now."

He cringed now, and wished he could kick himself. She'd actually tricked the information out of him. The woman really knew him better than anyone else. He took a deep breath and let it go. Whatever. It would be over soon anyway. "It was just a trick I learned in gymnastics. It creates the illusion of flight, even though you're really not doing anything special. Ballerinas use it constantly."

"It really looked like you were flying," she said. "You may not think it a great deal, but I thought it was magical. Hizuri-san, I'm really sorry for not listening to you more."

"What do you mean? You listen to me all the time."

"I meant when we were kids. You were miserable, weren't you?" He nodded reluctantly, and watched her deflate like a balloon. "I'm sorry. I was very selfish."

"You were a child, Kyoko," he said. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Besides, if I'd wanted to tell you about my troubles, I would have. I was just glad to spend time with someone who was treating me like a normal human being."

Kyoko swallowed. Her head swam with the new information. She remembered all the times she'd told him about Corn, her fairy prince, and felt her face burn with mortification. "How long have you known it was me? I mean, that I was the same girl you met that time?"

Ren smiled. "Ever since you gave me the middle finger in the lobby."

She wished the ground would swallow her up. But on top of the colossal embarrassment rode a lot of righteous indignation. "That's almost two years now," she said. "And you never said a thing. All the times I talked to you about fairies and magic and… You must have had a pretty good laugh at it."

"What? No!" Ren jumped. "I mean, yes, I was laughing, but I wasn't making fun of you. Kyoko…"

"Hizuri-san, why are you calling me that?"

"Because you're my friend, Kyoko, and I refuse to formalize your name. And I'd appreciate it if you called me Ren again. I haven't been Hizuri Kuon for five years now."

She sighed. "Ren-san… you've known for so long that it was me. Why didn't you tell me you were Corn?"

"You thought I was a fairy prince, Kyoko-chan," he said, smiling sadly. "I didn't want to… I didn't want to be the one to disappoint you."

"Disappoint me? You are Japan's best actor! You're my esteemed sempai! You've helped me out so many times now! How would you be disappointing me?" She was so worked up she hadn't noticed she was up on her feet until she noticed she was leaning across the table. "I'm sorry, but you are not disappointing! Not in the least!"

"Thank you," he said, warmly. "But we were not friends at the time. And by the time we were… closer-" he watched her blush, "—I had grown so used to being Tsuruga Ren that breaking character was just too hard. And… there are things that I preferred to stay away from. Memories and feelings, which I rather didn't resurface ever again."

Kyoko blanched. "You don't owe me an explanation…" Although… he kind of did. After all the lying, the least he could do was tell the truth.

Luckily, Ren seemed to think so too. "It will be out soon enough," he said. "I rather you learn it from me than a newspaper." He thought about a place to begin, and found himself completely muddled. "Do you… remember the Beagle, Reino?" Kyoko nodded, and her grudges let out a collective hiss. "Do you remember how he beat a hasty retreat as soon as he touched me?"

"Yes. You said he was full of it, and that I shouldn't listen."

"Well, he was. But… he was also right when he told you that the stone I gave you had absorbed a lot of negative feelings. Before I met you… and after that, I was very, very unhappy." Ren tried to ignore the old feelings of self-pity and focused on the moment at hand. "Do you know your friend Kanae's co-star, Hiou-kun? How he is constantly accused of riding his parents' coattails? If you multiply that by about a thousand, you'll have an idea about what it was growing up as Hizuri Kuu's son."

He closed his eyes, remembering it all. The paparazzi following him everywhere, perching on trees outside of his school to take pictures of him. The countless acting jobs. The even more numerous firings.

"It was very difficult. Even if Hiou-kun is a fantastic actor, he will never completely get away from his parents' fame. And I… well, I took it very badly. When I met you for the first time, I was in despair, because it was impossible for me to be an actor like my father, and I couldn't see a way out.

"The situation only got worse as I grew up. When I was no longer a kid, people weren't shy to say what they thought to my face. And some weren't shy about doing more than talk."

Kyoko watched as his hands balled into fists and his shoulders shook with suppressed rage. She was about to stop him, tell him it wasn't the time, but he gave her a look that told her he wanted to finish this. That he had to go all the way through.

"My friend Rick told me not to take it lying down. That I was inciting the bullying by being a made victim. And one night… I took his advice." The memory assaulted him, as fresh as it was the day it happened. He was astonished how easy it had been to forget his sensei and his father's teachings, to give into the rage, and to fight. And fight. And fight. Even when they couldn't fight back anymore. "Rick tried to stop me when he thought I was going to kill one of them. Another one used my distraction to make a run for it. I… ran after him."

The worlds flew faster now, with him switching in English without realizing it.

"Rick and I are… were about the same build. He went with me. The other guy… in the darkness, he must have mistook him for me, and he was in a car. He ran him over." He closed his eyes, but the memory came nonetheless. How Rick's body had flown like a prop dummy, straight into the air. The sickening crunch as his head hit the pavement had been louder than the world shattering. And then… Tina's screams.

_Murderer._

_MURDERER._

"I'm a murder," he said, and his voice broke. "My best friend died because of me. If I hadn't met him… if I hadn't been born, this would have never happened. His blood is on my hands."

Had she left yet? Did she have enough? He didn't dare look up to find out. He didn't dare lift his head from his hands, so powerful were the chills racking his body. Kuon gave an anguished cry in the back of his mind. The blood, the violence… he'd never meant any of it. But he'd done it. And he had to take his consequences.

He noticed a flash of pink, and Kyoko knelt down in front of him.

"Ren." Her voice was soft, but the intention behind her words was firm. "Look at me?"

He obeyed. The compassion in her eyes shook him.

"What happened to the driver?" she asked.

"The driver?" he said, his mind sluggish.

"The one who… ran your friend over. What happened to him?"

Ren laughed, hysterical. "He left. The police signed it off as a hit-and-run. Tina, Rick's girlfriend, was too shaken to give any testimony, and I was hardly a reliable witness. He got busted later on. I think he's doing thirty years for possession."

Kyoko nodded, solemnly, and then placed her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look directly at her. "I'm sorry, Kuon. I'm sorry you had to go through all this at such a young age. But you have to remember this – what happened was not your fault."

He laughed, a brittle, broken sound, but she gripped him harder, keeping him from looking away. "Listen to me, damn it. I am not saying it to make you feel better. You weren't driving that car. You didn't push your friend under the tires. And if he came to stop you even in the situation you were in, he must have been aware of the risks. He would never have blamed you for anything that happened, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it either."

"But I was irresponsible and stupid and violent. You saw me attack Murasame – can you possibly think there is anything redeemable in Black Jack?"

"You are not Black Jack. You're not even Cain Heel."

"Nevertheless, he died because I wasn't better. I… I deserve anything that happens to me. It's my fault."

"For what? For something you had no control over? Something you did when you were fifteen? You were hardly more than a child!" Kyoko shook her head. "How can you beat yourself up over what a real murderer did? That… that maggot, who drove the car… he was out to kill you. He had no qualms driving a car over a helpless man. It's his fault, not yours!"

Ren stared at her, and it was as if he was seeing her for the first time. His voice was incredulous.

"You…" A laugh escaped him. "How can you be so accepting, so forgiving? I might be a deranged murderer for all you know, and yet you are so quick to absolve me."

"Because I know what it's like," she said. "I know what it's like to blame yourself for something you didn't have control over."

He stared incomprehensibly, before he remembered.

"Your mother…" he muttered."

Kyoko bowed her head. "It's not easy," she said. "I don't think I ever have gotten over it. But I understand it's easier to blame everything on yourself rather than accept that somebody else, somebody we love, was wrong."

Had Rick been wrong to tell him to fight back? Maybe. Maybe not. But the more Ren tried to hold onto his belief in his own guiltiness, the more the realized he lacked conviction.

"Kyoko…" he said, and all of a sudden, there was not a single ounce of strength in is body. He collapsed.

But for once, she was ready to catch him. Her arms wrapped around him and held him up, while he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in like a man who'd been on the verge of drowning. For a while, they just stayed like that, without thinking, without worrying about propriety. He marveled at her strength, at how strong she could be when she wanted to.

He loved her. He truly loved her.

He pulled back, and she gasped. Reflected in his face were a million feelings – sadness, relief, fear, but overshadowing all of them was an immense joy. He was looking at her the same way he had on the dance floor, but the gaze was a million times stronger. It blasted fairies and grudges alike, leaving her heart naked and vulnerable. Her breath stopped.

Slowly, she rose to her feet. "I'll make you some tea," she said, forcing herself to smile. "It's late. You should rest."

Ren stared at her back, wondering what had just happened.

Kyoko had to pull herself. She quickly put the kettle on and started washing the cups they had used, wishing he had more tasks for her to do. Two measly glasses were not enough distraction, not against that smile.

What had happened? She had started this night hoping to help him get with the girl he loved. It was supposed to be the first and last time she gave to her feelings and pretended he cared for her. And what had just happened… it was just her looking out for him. Just looking out for him. It had nothing to do with any weird feelings she might or might not have… not at all.

The world swam out of focus and she realized her eyes had teared up. She turned the water up and furiously scrubbed at her cheeks. Why was she crying? Why?

Maybe because the realization that he was Corn had triggered some kind of proprietary instinct in her. He'd been her secret, her fairy prince. And now she couldn't even take solace in his memory, because he was somebody else's!

"Kyoko?" she heard Ren whisper, and before she could cover up, he was right behind her. Slowly, he reached out to turn the water valve off. "Kyoko, are you crying?"

She wanted to respond. She wanted to be strong and show a brave face. But her words stuck in her throat and choked her up. His hand came on her shoulder and turned her, gently, to face him. Seeing his concerned face was her undoing, and it was his turn to hold her as she broke down. The sobs wrecked her whole frame, and she cried what felt like three times the world's supply of tears.

Throughout the whole thing, he didn't loosen his grip, not once. He rocked their bodies to and fro, whispering all kinds of nonsense and kissing her hair. The gentleness of the gestures only made her bawl harder… until she had no voice, no strength, and no tears.

Somewhere in the background, the kettle boiled.

Ren only pulled back to turn the heat off, before he picked her up and carried her to the same couch where he had had his own little breakdown. He let her sink against the cushions and swept her hair away from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"That's not why I cried," she said.

"Why then?"

"Just… stuff."

"I do try to spare you," he said, sighing. "Guess I'm not enough to protect you, though."

"Protect me? From what?"

"From hardship. From tears. I hate seeing you cry, Kyoko. But I can never do it."

She frowned and sat up. "I don't get it. Protect me from what? You're the one who tells me to take on acting jobs head on without fear."

"I didn't mean acting." He was willing her to realize. And, after a while, she did.

His warnings against men, his strange mood shifts. The episode in Karuizawa stuck out in her mind, and how he'd been after the time Sho kissed her. His anger hadn't been directed at her at all, but at himself. He was angry that he'd allowed these things happening to her.

She knew she ought to have been flattered that he showed such concern for her.

She ought to. But she wasn't.

Instead, she felt indignant. What's more, she felt angry.

He was Corn. He knew exactly how much she strived to please others. Moreover, he knew how much regard she had for his opinion. And yet he'd let her believe she was the reason he was angry, and used her guilt as leverage.

"I never asked to be protected," she said simply and stood up.

Ren sighed and stood up. "Whatever Fuwa says, I never took advantage of you."

She just sighed. "Ren-san… it's been a long night. There is only so much I can take."

"But…"

"Please…" she said. "Just… let it go." She picked up her garment bag and handed it to him. "I'm giving it back to you. The shoes are inside."

He just stared at her as if she'd lost his mind. "I bought these for you," he said. "They're a gift."

"I shouldn't have accepted it if I knew what came with it." Tears, realizations and a broken heart, for starters. "Thank you. I mean… thank you. For everything."

"I'll drive you home," he said.

She shook her head.

"Kind of defeats the purpose of me changing at LME, doesn't it?"

His hands fell to his sides and he just stared at her in defeat. There was nothing he could do, nothing to offer, for her to stay, so he did the only thing he had left to do and walked her to the door. Once she was on the threshold, she paused, biting her lip. He hoped against hope that she might have something else to say…

But no. She shook her head, bowed, and left.

Once outside, she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from screaming.

She had just defeated both Fuwa Sho and Tsuruga Ren. She'd accomplished her dream. So why was she feeling more miserable than ever?

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><p><strong>AN Fast updates deserve reviews! Right? RIGHT! **

**Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a week's worth of sleep to catch up on. **


	11. Chapter 11

"Get up, Kuon," the President said.

Ren winced and when he felt his point shoe jab in his side. He opened his eyes and groaned. "Turn off that light."

The President and Yashiro exchanged a look. "What, the sun?"

He bolted up, and then doubled up. His hands rose, but didn't know where to go – to his rising stomach or his splintering head. Everything hurt. And the harsh light shining through the windows only made things worse, showing every bit of last night's destruction. After Kyoko had left, he'd had no qualms about attacking every single bottle in his house. The thought that she would disapprove only made him drink faster, gurgling the alcohol until there was none left.

It was only good that he didn't have all that much in the apartment.

"Yes, the sun," he groaned at length. "Turn it off."

The President sighed. "You're a mess. Get up this instant. I expect you to show up in my office in two hours, and if you're not stone cold sober, I'll call Kuu." He turned to Yashiro. "I'm sorry I'm leaving you to deal with this."

"It's fine," Yashiro said. "I'm his manager. I'll make sure he's presentable."

Ren barely paid attention, focusing on keeping the contents of his stomach down. It didn't work. He lost it, then and there over his expensive carpet. Yashiro waited until he was done, before grabbing him under the arms and dragging him to the bathroom. He threw him in the shower and turned the water to the coldest as it got.

At first, Ren didn't react. Then he came alive, and cursed a blue streak. "Hell, a little sympathy for the guy with the hangover here!" He spluttered, not realizing he was speaking in English until Yashiro responded in kind.

"Get ready, Ren. You heard the President."

Maybe it was the shock of being talked to in English, or maybe it was his manager's tone, that managed to snap Ren out of his sulk. He struggled to his feet, got out of his clothes and hugged himself under the freezing water. As it was after drinking binges, the shower made him feel cleaner and calmer, but it also brought out the feelings of shame and disappointment. He'd sworn not to do it again, but it was a vicious circle – he had only one drink, and then another, and another, and another. Hell, he wasn't surprised Kyoko hadn't wanted him to drink while they had their talk – she must have known he was unable to control himself.

Thinking about Kyoko made him want to disintegrate and let the water wash him in the sewer. Unfortunately, Yashiro must have known he would wallow, because in ten minutes, he barged in the bathroom and, deaf to his charge's protests, all but dragged him into his bedroom and threw some clothes at him. "An hour and a half left," he warned, and then got out again.

Something was wrong with Yashiro, Ren thought when his head cleared enough. He knew his manager was a capable man, but he had never seen him look as angry as that. It threw him off balance, and instead of pulling back like a mule, he did as he was bid.

He found Yashiro making coffee in the kitchen. There was a bag from a bakery store on the table, which was nudged in his direction. Even though the smell turned his stomach, Ren picked up a scone and bit into it.

"We have about enough time to get through morning traffic to reach LME," Yashiro said and handed him a cup of coffee. "I've called us a cab, and I've taken the liberty of having your carpet dry cleaned. Somebody will come pick it up, so I left it in the hallway."

"Thank you," Ren said, when silence descended. "That was… nice of you."

"It's just my job." Yashiro consulted his watch. "I also cancelled your appointments for today."

The cup froze halfway up to his lips. "That really wasn't necessary, Yashiro-san."

"If you think I'll let you walk into a studio with a hangover, you are sadly mistaken. Or you haven't taken a good look at your face?" His manager actually sneered. "You need to talk to the President. This is truly unacceptable."

Ren blanched. Could it be… "Has Fuwa already gone to the journalists?" he asked, feeling like he might lose it again. Yashiro shook his head and took out some magazines from his briefcase. Ren scanned the front pages anxiously – news, press coverage of last night's event, and of course, pictures of him and Kyoko. Of them talking. Of them laughing. Of them smiling. Some photographer had caught the little dip he'd done, and had probably earned himself a fat check.

Looking at those images, so bright and shining with hope, hurt.

"What is unacceptable, then?" he asked. Yashiro sighed.

"You should talk to Takarada-san," he said. From the tone of his voice, you couldn't tell anything, but it put Ren on his guard. Yashiro was only that bland when he was trying very hard to hide his own feelings. It couldn't be good.

Ren set aside his coffee and took Yashiro by the shoulders. "What do you know? Tell me."

His manager gave him a sour look, which made Ren step back as fast as possible.

"In view of recent events, President Takarada saw fit to inform me of your identity, and of the events that brought you here," he said, calmly. His voice betrayed nothing. "He decided that you couldn't handle it and that you needed allies who could help you. I only wish he'd told me about your tendency to drink – I would have made sure your schedule was clean today."

"It's not a tendency. I had a bad night – everyone has them. I don't see how I'm that…"

Yashiro held up a hand to stop him. "I'm not calling you an alcoholic, Ren—" although his eyes said otherwise "—but you clearly have a problem controlling yourself. It's not dire – there are times and places when it can be addressed. Right now, you have a more important issue on your hands."

"Yes. Fuwa hired a detective to…"

"…Investigate you. Yes, I know. I got a very interesting call this morning," Yashiro explained, when seeing Ren's baffled look. "It seems Kyoko-chan got hold of Fuwa's manager, and Shoko-san was doing damage control. Unlike Fuwa, she knew perfectly well that this kind of reveal would backfire royally and was making sure things were still under wraps. The President thanked her and then came here to help you out."

"Help me out? What for? I was…"

"Drunk as a pig. Are you really surprised? The man was worried you'd drowned in your own vomit and, to be honest, so was I."

"I told you, I'm not an alcoholic. And if you have something to say to me, Yashiro, I suggest you do so now."

"Oh, don't worry, I will," his manager said, sneering. "I think you have a problem, Ren. I don't know if it's the drinking, or if that's just a symptom, but you have a major problem. And I'm very much pissed off that nobody saw fit to tell me about any of this."

Ren sighed. "I'm sorry, Yashiro-san, but nobody was privy to this. Only the President and Jerry Woods knew who I am – it was a necessary disguise. I needed to start anew and I couldn't do so if people knew where I came from."

"I'd agree, if you had left all of your past life behind." Yashiro snatched his wrist and held it up, displaying the stopped watch. "You call yourself Tsuruga Ren, but this is just a mask, and a poorly placed one at that. If you had really dropped all your luggage, I'd have agreed, but I'm your manager, Ren, and I thought I was your friend. I ought to know anything that endangers you and your career."

Ren looked into Yashiro's face, and the raw hurt in there shocked him. He'd thought he was protecting people by keeping quiet about his secret – it just now occurred to him that he was hurting them by not trusting their discretion. He felt like a popped balloon.

"I'm sorry," he said, sincerely. "I didn't think."

Yashiro sighed. "At this point, I have to do damage control. And still, this isn't why the President wants to talk to you."

"Then what…"

"Can't you guess? Kyoko."

Ren felt sick. "She's alright, isn't she? She… she didn't do anything rash?"

Yashiro looked exasperated. "No. In fact, she was rather angry. You heard me just now, didn't you? While you were sitting here wallowing, she spent the night making phone calls and cleaning up the mess you and Fuwa mixed up. Apparently, she herself has a few tidbits about our favorite teenybopper idol which she can share if he didn't keep his mouth shut."

Ren felt almost giddy with relief. Relief and pride. Kyoko wasn't one to do things halfway. But… "What does this have to do with me?"

"She didn't just call to tell me the situation was under control." Yashiro deliberated. "She called to ask me to keep you as far away from her as possible."

* * *

><p>President Lori flew through LME in a flutter of silks. Today's outfit, which made him look like a shogun, was rather gaudy, even for his tastes, but he had an image to keep up and the image he would keep. He ignored the greetings of his employees and headed straight for the office of the Love Me! section.<p>

The three girls looked up with what he could only call guilty looks on their faces, although in the case of Chiori and Kanae, it was also mixed up with exasperation and just a tiny bit of resentment. He made a mental note to look into that and turned to Kyoko. "Mogami-san, may I have a word with you?"

The aforementioned girl shared a look with her friends, then got up and followed obediently.

He didn't need to hear it from Ren – he knew exactly how the evening had followed. Did he not know Kuu's son? The boy had probably told her everything but the most important part. Well, fine. It was time to take off the kid gloves. If he wouldn't do it, then the president would.

He led Kyoko to his office and chased everyone but Sebastian from the floor. Then he turned to her.

"Mogami-san, it has come to my understanding that you learned something about Ren last night."

She nodded. "Yes, President."

"And he told you the full circumstance of his coming to Japan?"

"Yes. You don't have to worry about me telling, or Sho, for that matter. I already settled this with his manager."

"Yes, Shoko-san is a very wise woman." She'd known, of course, what would happen if Sho let everyone know that Ren was Hizuri Kuu's son and that he had come to Japan after the States hadn't accepted his fabulous talent. It would turn Ren into a hero – a veritably hard-working lad who started from zero, after having it all, and turn into Japan's top star. It would also denominate Sho to the role of a bully, and further damage his pop star status.

"But I don't want to talk to you about that," the President said. "Do you know, Mogami-san, why I chose you to play Setsuka Heel?"

Kyoko shrugged. "I guess it was because I'm closest to Tsuruga-san. I understand him and I can shadow him when Yashiro-san can't."

"That's true. But in reality, many actresses can do that. However, Ren has a very special regard for you, Mogami-san. You must know that."

Her face darkened. "Yes, it looks like it."

Takarada took a deep breath. "It doesn't just look like it – it's the truth. Kyoko-chan… Tsuruga Ren loves you."

* * *

><p>The taxi had left, but neither Yashiro nor Ren were in it.<p>

"What do you mean, asked you to keep me away from her? I haven't… she hasn't…" And then he'd remembered the look she had given him the previous night. God, he couldn't blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him. He could barely stand himself.

Yashiro gave him a knowing look. "What happened last night, Ren?"

Instead of replying, he showed pointed at the living room. Yashiro had rolled up the carpet, cleaned the floors and swept the broken glass, but he hadn't really taken a good look at it. A flash of violet caught his eye and he saw a woman's evening gown gently draped on a book case.

If there was one thing in his apartment that Ren cared for, it was his books. And, knowing how he got, he'd put Kyoko's dress out of damage's way before going off into his little destructive binge.

"I told her everything," Ren said. "She wanted nothing to do with me."

Yashiro sighed. Knowing Kyoko, having heard her after the night's ordeal, he couldn't believe that it was as simple as that. But it was how Ren saw it and what he believed to be true. How could he convince him otherwise.

"What started this?" he asked, although he had a good idea. Maybe it was because he'd approached Kyoko for help. Maybe it was because the President had told him. Or maybe… "The car accident – why did it happen? And don't lie to me."

Ren collapsed onto the couch and buried his face in his hands. Honestly, he didn't want to think about that – it made him feel ashamed to just mention it. But Yashiro wanted to know, and he'd lied to his manager enough.

* * *

><p>They had come back from a day of shooting as Cain and Setsu. As per custom, he'd showered first while she'd made dinner, and then she'd taken the bathroom after him. He'd used it to check the call he had received from overseas. He'd thought it was his father, but when he didn't recognize the number, he pressed "Dial". It was his biggest mistake, because the person who picked up was a woman.<p>

"Hello? Hello, who's there?"

It was a voice he would never forget.

"Hello? Is that… Kuon."

The voice who had called him a murderer. The voice who haunted him to this day.

"Kuon, answer me, damn it! I know it's you. Kuon!"

Tina.

His hands had been shaking while he hung up. Of course. How could he forget? Tina, the fourth player in that tragic night, Tina, who was also a survivor, and who hated him with a passion. Tina, who, during his first year in Japan, had taken to calling him at weird times, changing her phones to make sure he couldn't screen her calls, and cry her heart out to him. In time, her friends and family had gotten her into counseling, and the calls had become fewer. He'd began to think they stopped entirely.

If there was one person he felt as guilty for as he did for Rick, it was Tina. In some ways, it was worse, because she definitely blamed him for everything that happened, and she was in no forgiving mood. Talking to her brought up old feelings, and the old defensiveness he didn't even know he possessed. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault. Why couldn't she let it go? Why couldn't he be happy, even for once?

And then Kyoko had come out of the bathroom. She had just finished putting her Setsu face on, and had finally found some Setsu-like sleep wear. The camisole and shorts were black with pink lace and she thought they looked pretty cute – trendy with just enough girlish touch to be both Setsu and Kyoko-like – but in Ren's state they had the same effect as waving a red cloth in front of a bull.

She'd scolded him for not eating again, not noticing the look he was giving her. He stood perfectly still, like a crouching predator, and when she'd gotten into his range, he'd pounced.

One moment, she was standing over the table. The second, she was pinned down on her bed with Cain looming over her. His eyes danced over the exposed skin on her arms, throat, legs and belly, and it all seemed to taunt him. Kyoko had gone perfectly still – maybe she was too shocked, maybe she actually enjoyed that little interlude, but her silence had only made things worse. It was as if they were back on the floor of his kitchen, with him asking her if she had ever kissed and if she wanted him to teach her.

Only this time, they wouldn't just kiss.

He'd dipped his head and ran his nose up the curve of her throat, inhaling her. She'd started shaking, and her skin had broken into goose bumps. His arms had splayed over her waist, keeping her in place, as his nose skimmed her jaw and he bent down to kiss the skin by her ear. She'd gasped and her hands had gone into his hair.

That sound (or maybe it was her gesture) had broken the trance, and he'd suddenly remembered who she was. Kyoko. The girl he loved. His kouhai. And underage.

So he'd bolted up, and told her in the coldest voice imaginable that he would be taking her home, and that she needed to change, pronto. She'd been too shell-shocked to reply. He knew he was being cruel, but it was for her own good – he had gone too far, and the only way he could stop himself from jumping her was by putting distance between them. So, feeling angry and guilty, he had driven her home, and as soon as she'd left the car, he'd stopped being careful.

* * *

><p>Yashiro listened to it all with a serious look on his face, and then had asked:<p>

"What did she think of that little interlude?"

"I don't know. I was hoping that she thought it was just acting, and that I took her home because I thought she wasn't putting a convincing performance…" Ren began, but stopped when he saw the look his manager was giving him.

"And you still wonder why she doesn't want you near her?" Yashiro asked.

* * *

><p>"He loves me?" Kyoko repeated, her voice hollow. The President frowned – this wasn't the expected reaction. People were supposed to be happy when they were told they were loved, right? Surely, Kyoko needed clarification.<p>

"Yes. He loves you. Has, since… I don't know. I knew of his feelings since he aced that scene in "Dark Moon", but it could have been for longer. And you have a wonderful influence on him – for years, all he did was hide and run. Once you showed up, though, he started taking the bull by the horns, starring in roles that not only advanced his career, but helped him heal from the past."

"And you think this is my doing?"

"What else could it be?" And then he saw it. The tears tickling down her cheeks. Good. He could work…

"WHY IS EVERYONE DOING THIS?"

…with that.

"Mogami-san…"

"First Shotarou, and now you! Why is everyone outing him? Everyone has secrets – why can't you just let him come out in his own good time?" she wailed, and tried wiping the tears and snot away.

Takarada was taken aback. This certainly wasn't the reaction he'd expected. He handed her a tissue quickly, while trying to come up with an answer. "Mogami-san, it was necessary."

"How?" She glared. "How was this necessary, President?" A thought occurred to her. "You made Yashiro plant that idea in my head, didn't you? To ask him to that function. You were hoping he'd out himself."

Takarada winced. She made it sound so mean, like a practical joke.

"It was for his own good," he said.

"His own good, his own good. Everybody thinks they do stuff for someone's own good, when they're just being selfish. You were being selfish! Didn't it occur to you that Ren might be ashamed? That he had a hard past which he wasn't eager to confess? Maybe you think it's bad for him to keep it all in, but blabbing his secrets out is none of your business!"

She realized then that she was standing and shouting. Worse, she was shouting at her employer. She took a deep breath and bowed. "I apologize for my outburst, but it really wasn't your place to say these things."

Takarada made her stand up. "I understand what you mean, Kyoko-chan, but it really was necessary," he said. "Ren's secret isn't just weighting him down – it kills him. If left to his own devices, he'd wallow in guilt forever. Surely you see the need for intervention."

"I do," she said. "But it doesn't mean he enjoys being manipulated like that."

Takarada stared in shock as she bowed again and swept out of the office. Was it just him, or was she talking about someone other than Ren?

* * *

><p><strong>AN Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to leave you hanging for more than a week, but it was the end of term and whatnot. Hopefully, I'll wrap this up before Christmas.**

**And yes, I do know I keep spelling Jelly's name Jerry, but honestly, if I started it, I decided to keep it till the end.**

**Thank you for all your support (keep it coming!) and I'll see you in chapter twelve!**


	12. Chapter 12

By the time Ren and Yashiro made it to LME, it was past noon. They went up to the President's office, expecting a solid scolding, but instead found him lounging on the couch, with his head in Jerry's lap. He looked stricken. She looked equal parts amused and exasperated. When the Witch of the make-up world saw them, she waved them in.

"Now, darling, you had it coming," she told Takarada and put him in a sitting position. "Ren-chan and Yashiro-san are here."

Takarada nodded at them, but that was it. No loud proclamations, no grand gestures. He seemed tired. Ren looked at Jerry, expecting some kind of explanation, but she just smiled and left them alone.

"Um, is this a bad time?" Yashiro asked, unsure as to how to deal with this. If there had been another lovers' tiff in LME today, he would have to get an Internet degree in psychology and start specializing in couples therapy.

"No, no, do sit down." The president waved towards a couple of chairs. "Jerry was just… explaining something to me."

Ren shrugged and poured his boss a glass of water. "If it's any consolation, I didn't spend such a nice morning either."

"Yes, we could see _that _easily enough. When you think about it, our troubles are caused by the same woman." Takarada sighed dramatically. "Who would have thought such a delicate girl as Kyoko-chan would be capable of such destruction."

Yashiro gaped. "You mean… what do you mean?"

"At least you should console yourself, Ren, that your girl is hell-bent on defending you. Lashed out like a tigress when I told her of your feelings for her. She let me have it, that's for sure."

Ren simply stared. While his manager stammered and insisted on an explanation, he just stood there. It was as if he was split in two, one part that was all feeling and one part that was all rationality. The former was abuzz with sensations – anger, surprise, and maddening hope. The latter was running through the events of the day – maybe Takarada had been setting it up for him to meet Kyoko in the morning. Maybe if he hadn't been so damn hung over and hadn't messed things up with Yashiro so badly, he would have been there and done some damage control.

"You had no right to do this, President," he said, and saw both Yashiro and Takarada flinch at the coldness of his voice.

To his credit, his boss took the blow without complaint. He was, however, brutally honest. "What choice did I have? You were in a very serious danger of regressing back to the state you had when you were fifteen. You don't have that kind of time, Ren."

"Well, I imagine that she thought otherwise, didn't she?"

"Oh, yes. Though when she talked about being used, I was pretty sure she wasn't just talking about you. Care to fill me in on what happened last night?"

Ren sighed and gave the abbreviated version of what had happened at the party, and then of what happened in his apartment. Yashiro filled in some gaps about Kyoko's sudden request, and whatever press enquiries had come in between the party and the present hour. "Your appearance together caused quite a stir. The tabloids are buzzing with speculations and blogs are creating new ones every hour. We would have to release a statement, and fast, before this kind of thing goes out of control. I have advised Mogami-san to stay out of the public eye, but she had already arranged her things so that she wouldn't have to take any crowded buses or go through public places to get to her work. Things will be hard, for a while, but there isn't much we can do about it."

"Yes, because everyone thinks we're together now," Ren finished. "But it never occurred to you two that we might not get together after the party, did it? You thought all the buzz would be justified."

Yashiro and the President exchanged a look. "No, it didn't. But what's done is done, we will have to find a way to move around it."

Ren thought bitterly that if they hadn't meddled, everything would be just fine. But he knew well enough that they were right – he was wasting time.

"What are we going to do?" Ren asked.

"I talked to Mogami-san," Yashiro said. "She wants this whole thing to be cleared out as soon as possible, as you might imagine. I drafted a press statement, which she agreed with, and you can look through."

"But it would mean denying we're together."

"You aren't together. And, if I may add, Ren, it seems like you won't be for some time, if she insists on putting distance between the two of you."

"I can't let this go on like that. I have to make it right. She…"

"She won't come within two feet of you unless she is forced to," Takarada said. "And, for my part, I think we pushed her too much already. She's sick of being taken advantage of. First by Fuwa, then by me, and by you as well, Ren. Or do you think that she liked it when you shamed her for being kissed by Fuwa?"

Ren turned his eyes away. He wasn't very proud of his behavior back then. If he had an excuse, it was that he was too scared of losing her and wanted to keep her safe at any cost, even if it meant reverting to some pretty underhanded tricks. But to think that she thought him as bad as Fuwa… that really stung. Worse, it was the truth.

How could he make this better?

"The only thing you can do for now is to be professional with one another," Takarada said. "Build trust. She won't allow any veering off into dangerous territory for a while now."

"How can we be professional with one another if she refuses to come anywhere near me? We don't star in any dramas together, and she won't take any role if she knows I'll be in the same production."

Takarada smiled. "Well, there's a solution for that. I think myself that you need to be retrained in a certain department."

* * *

><p>Chiori and Kanae were livid. Kyoko expected they would be, but she hadn't anticipated their angry outbursts when she explained what exactly had happened. And she hadn't even told them about her meeting with the President. She was still reeling from the discovery that Ren was her childhood friend, she couldn't even begin to sort through the knowledge of his feelings for her.<p>

Of course, she had to be very careful about what she disclosed with them. The secret of his real identity was not hers to disclose, nor were his reasons for changing it. She had told them that they had gone to the gala as friends, that Sho had been an ass as usual and that they had had to have a long conversation (the specifics of which she couldn't disclose). She also told them that she was tired because she'd been up all night, cleaning up stupid Shotarou's mess. Chiori seemed to believe her, but Kanae must have sensed there was something more, because when their colleague launched into a litany about impossible boys, she grabbed Kyoko by the elbow and said:

"If Tsuruga hurt you, I'll end him."

Kyoko forced a smile. "Nothing happened with sempai, Moko-san. Really."

She was such a liar. Plenty had happened, enough for her to seriously consider if she ought to call him sempai from now. The man had taken advantage of his position. He may think of them as equals, but she was much younger than him and much more impressionable. She didn't know what to make of his behavior, especially with the President claiming he was in love with her. What man lied to the woman he loved? What man manipulated her? The very thought made her sick.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and the President walked in. To an untrained eye, he was just as flamboyant as ever, fanfares and feathers and all that, but his enthusiasm seemed slightly subdued. He greeted them loudly and then proceeded to beat around the bush like nobody's business, until Kanae couldn't take it anymore.

"President, is there something specific you want to tell us?"

He pouted like she had spoiled his fun and sighed.

"Yes, in fact, Kotonami-san, I have a special role for you three. You enjoy your work in Love Me!, don't you?"

The girls exchanged a look. To tell the truth, they did. It was a difficult, to keep up with the litany of pointless tasks, but it had taught them patience and a really critical outlook on things. It was better to be able to question the things posed as absolute truths than accept them blindly, and they were becoming better actresses because of it. And the job itself was actually fun once you got the hang of it.

They nodded simultaneously.

In spite of his gloom, Takarada smiled. "Very good. Then we're ready to move onto the next stage. It's time I gave you a charge."

Charge? Did he mean Love Me! accepted new recruits? They had their answer when Takarada waved someone in. Someone very tall. Someone unbelievably tall, dark-haired and dressed in a flamboyant pink uniform.

_No way, _Kyoko thought.

Tsuruga Ren bowed deeply. "Hello. My name is Tsuruga Ren. From now on, I'll be in your hands. Please take care of me, sempai."

* * *

><p>Kyoko didn't know what was worse – that Yashiro had obviously not kept his word to her, or that Tsuruga Ren was calling her sempai. It was a full day since the announcement, and she still couldn't believe that she was stuck in the same division with the last man she wanted to be close to. She couldn't believe her high and mighty sempai insisted on debasing himself, bowing to her and call her his senior. She couldn't believe he wore that ridiculous uniform. Didn't he know people were staring?<p>

To Ren's credit, though, he hadn't done anything inappropriate, or started any painful conversations. He seemed awfully eager to do what he was told, and he was smiling at everyone as if they were doing him a huge favor by giving him chores.

He was busy washing the floor in the lobby right now, in plain sight of everyone, and causing no little speculation. Kyoko was fairly certain this might gather more buzz than their going together to the function.

"What is he doing?" Chiori asked, frowning. Kyoko shrugged.

"Looks like someone told him there was gum in the foyer and he decided to wipe the whole place." She remembered when she had done the same. It had been a painful learning experience. "What do you think of this?"

"Looks like the President's lost it."

"Hmm…"

Kyoko wasn't so sure. If she had to be objective, Ren's behavior could use some correction. Maybe he'd been on his high horse for too long and needed a reminder that he couldn't treat people as he pleased. Maybe this was for the best.

But she couldn't help but feel like this was a rather cruel learning experience. She wished she could ask Moko-san about this, but she had been assigned archive work with Yashiro-san and couldn't be bothered. Archives were a hard task, apparently. Kyoko had asked her over breakfast if she wanted help, but Kanae had shrugged her off and told her it was a two-people job. Kyoko wasn't sure how she could take this (and her friend's flaming cheeks), but she had let it go, because what are friends for?

_Why must you ask people's approval for everything you do? _she asked herself, and could come up with no reasonable explanation. So she went down the stairs, snatching two "Wet Floor" cones from the utility closet and placing them strategically around her sem… kouhai. Ren looked up at her, surprised, and she explained, "People need a fair warning, or they'll fall down. Bruised tailbones don't go too well."

His smile should have incinerated her. Only the furies had already taken cover, using the fairies as a living shield.

* * *

><p><em>I'm not going to criticize Love Me! ever again, <em>Ren thought. His arms and knees hurt like hell, but it had nothing on his hurt pride. He didn't even know where that had gone – after being stomped on for several days, it had just taken cover under some table and refused to come out again.

He had forgotten how hard the showbiz was when you weren't on top. You'd think he wouldn't, given where he came from, but it seemed like he had allowed fame to get to his head yet again. He'd forgotten how fickle people were, how readily they made trouble if they knew they would get away with it. They had gotten used to his new position disturbingly fast, Ren thought, and had started requesting him like crazy.

At first he thought it was a good thing. Some, older women in particular, would give him a +100 stamp just because they were on the receiving end of his smile. But there were those who wanted to see him make a fool of himself, those who liked to cause trouble, and the few times he had drawn the line, the minus stamps had come like a hurricane. Today, for example, he'd been stuck with singer-turned-actress Ruriko, and after he had rebuffed her advances, she had proceeded to make his life a living hell, culminating in a -500 mark in the end of the day. He hadn't even known those existed.

To rely on someone's whims was not a pleasant experience. He couldn't understand how Kyoko put up with this. When he had worked on gaining fame, Love Me! hadn't even existed, and he had been spared the experience. It was all very, very new.

As if he'd conjured up with a thought, Kyoko was in the room. She had come in to pick up her coat, and found him collapsed in one of the chairs in the office. It was a testament to his fatigue when he could barely sit up to greet her properly. She waved him away when he tried to bow and asked how he was.

"Just tired. It's been a long day, sempai."

She frowned, like she always did when he called her that. He could tell she was trying desperately to correct him, but held back. Good. She had to.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Not unless you're willing to take on every female's request for my help."

She shook her head. There was a hint of a smile on her lips. "I'm afraid we need to do our own projects and we can't exchange them. Although I'm pretty sure that Moko-san wouldn't give up her job with Yashiro-san for anything in the world."

"They make a fearsome couple, don't they?" Ren said, and saw the panic in her eyes. He hurried to tell her of his day, hoping a work-only conversation would calm her down.

She listened to him, then went to make them both a cup of green tea. Then she sat down opposite him and made a thoughtful face. "Tsuruga-san, I understand how the caprices of some actors may be too much for you. Have you discussed this with Sawara-san?"

"No. Why would I?"

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but if Ruriko-chan asked something inappropriate of you, and treated you badly after you refused, that constitutes sexual harassment. You could level some serious charges at her."

Ren stared. "How do you know? Has anyone ever…?" If they had, he would annihilate them. But she just shook her head and waved his concern away.

"Sawara-san gave us a pretty serious lecture at the beginning as to what constitutes Love Me! work and what is taking advantage. We need to be aware of our rights and powers and exercise them when necessary. I'm pretty sure the rules run both ways, even if you're a guy. Didn't you know that?"

"Well… yes, but I'm a guy." A guy's pride was a fierce thing. He wouldn't admit being harassed by a girl… but then again, his pride was cowering somewhere, so who cared. "I'll have to have a word with Sawara-san about the kind of jobs I get. Maybe he could filter them a bit."

"I'm sorry I can't help you more."

"On the contrary, you were very helpful. And anyway, it's a humbling experience, to be on the receiving end. I can learn a lot."

Kyoko nodded. "Yes, it definitely is an educational experience. I… didn't think so at the beginning, but I've grown to like it a lot. It's fun, the way the President gives us new assignments, and discovering what each of them is like. I've began to realize that even though there are setbacks, I can work around them eventually, and if I don't, it's not the end of the world."

"You're growing," Ren remarked. "It's the kind of a mindset you gain after living for a few years on your own. Would you loathe to graduate from here?"

Kyoko stood there, not realizing what he meant. And then she did.

_Of course. _She wasn't the same bitter sixteen-year-old she was when she first entered LME. Maybe, at some point, the President might deem it time for her to graduate from Love Me! and make her debut. She had always known it would happen, but had thought of it in abstract terms, same as her princess fantasies. Maybe she wasn't so grown up after all.

But when she thought of it, she realized it looked like things were moving in that direction. She would be a true actress. And… even, Tsuruga Ren's equal.

The knowledge brought a lot of strange feelings. Before, she might have felt a triumph, to know she was where she wanted to go and force her enemies to acknowledge her talent. She wasn't looking for petty revenge anymore. BUT… but… she wouldn't mind standing on equal ground with Tsuruga Ren… or Hizuri Kuon.

Ren worried. Had he gone too far? In the past two weeks, they had worked together, and he'd been careful to avoid any kind of danger topics. It had been particularly difficult because anything not work related was like setting off a bomb with her, making her close up and cool off towards him. He knew he had a lot of work to do before he could talk about feelings with her again, but it was especially discouraging when she shunned him like that.

He had so much to tell her. So many things to disclose and discuss. He was talking to his parents, for one thing. His mother was imploring him to come home, and he promised he would, as soon as he could get the other half of his heart on the airplane. He was also seeing a councilor. It was a nasty, difficult task which involved quite a lot of confessing, but he was determined to go through with it. The guy was actually very accommodating, and had told him that his problems weren't all that gave – they would just need to work a little more on his sense of insecurity. The progress came slow, and it was only the beginning, but he would do anything if it meant it would change her opinion of him.

Kyoko finished her tea and stood up. "Well, I better go, I have a job early in the morning. I hope tomorrow's better for you, Tsuruga-san. Remember, usually when we're given an assignment, it's for a reason. The President is rarely just random."

Ren smiled, but she had already retreated.

* * *

><p>He couldn't sleep all night. He itched to tell her how he felt, without pretense, without mediators. But how was he to do so.<p>

He thought back to the one night they'd had. It was magical, it was beautiful, but it was also artificial. He couldn't have convinced her of his truthfulness if her head was full of Yashiro's tales. What had he told her? That his beloved was a high school girl, of all people.

Wait…

Wait a minute?

He shot upright and groped for the phone, driven by some vague idea. Yashiro answered on the third ring.

"What?"

"Have you ever told Kyoko I was in love with a high schooler?"

"Huh?"

"Did you ever tell her the girl I liked was in high school?"

"No. Ren, what is this – " But he'd already hung up.

He got up and paced. And paced. And paced. Then ran for his wardrobe, looking for clothes.

Yashiro knew Kyoko was attending a high school, but he never referred to her in terms of a normal student, never. He was aware that school meant different things for actors as it did for other people, and he never talked of Kyoko as a high schooler. No actor would – jobs came first.

But she had referred to his supposed sweetheart as a student, thinking she was a normal girl. Thinking she was not a fellow actress. And he had told only one creature of his crush.

He was in his car before he knew it, chasing the sunrise towards the buildings of TBM.

He had to see about a certain mascot.

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><p><strong>AN Reviews, reviews, reviews... oh, look, a chicken!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry this is "hot off the press", but I promised Christmas. Happy Holidays, everyone!**

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><p>In all his years, Ishibashi Hikaru had seen… very little.<p>

Yeah, there was the infamous Fuwa outburst, and who could forget that time on the stairs, but aside from that, he couldn't boast on having a great insight of Mogami Kyoko. The girl was polite, accommodating and kept to herself. She was nice to him, but she was nice to everyone. He had hoped that maybe they might get to know each other better one day, but those hopes had been dashed into Hell as soon as he'd seen her with Tsuruga Ren.

Like most of Japan, he had found the press release of LME (the one that stated the two actors were not intimately involved) ridiculous. Unlike most of Japan, he had had a chance to watching Kyoko nearly every day since the function. He had never asked her about it (and suspected that if he had, she wouldn't tell), but he was pretty sure that her luster had somehow dimmed. He could tell she was troubled, but why exactly, he had no idea.

That's why he was not too surprised when Tsuruga Ren (dressed in an outrageously pink jumpsuit), appeared thirty minutes before the filming for next week's episode began and demanded to see Kyoko. Since the latter was still busy assembling her suit in the back room, Hikaru couldn't in good conscious let a man close by.

"Why do you need to see her?" Hikaru asked. "I can tell her and see if she can come out and talk to you."

"If you tell her I'm here, she'll refuse to see me."

"All the more reasons why you shouldn't be here."

Ren groaned. He had to hand it to the guy – he had guts, but he didn't have time for this. He had to talk to Kyoko, now. So he resorted to begging.

"Please," he said. "I have to talk to her, now. If not… I don't know if I'll have the guts to do it."

Hikaru frowned. There were thirty minutes before filming began and he had yet to go and get ready. He didn't have time to argue with Tsuruga, and a small part of him wanted to see where this was a going. Maybe Kyoko would shoot him down to hell. Maybe she would have closure. Maybe they would get together and make every romantic swoon. And hell, didn't every man deserve a shot at confessing his love properly?

"Come with me," he said. "I'll see if the manager can figure something out."

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><p>Kyoko was not looking forward to this episode, not least because Sho was in there somewhere as well. She was tired and restless, especially since she'd had that talk with Ren. She had thought, at first, that she could do the same thing she had done with Sho – close her heart off and hate. But things were different. For one thing, what she had felt for Sho had been a crush. A childish infatuation which had stung, but not left too much of a lasting impression.<p>

Ren, however… she didn't know how to call it, but he was more than just a crush. He knew her. She knew him. They had helped each other through high and low – they were friends, and she wanted that back.

But could they be friends? Really friends, with no lies and no manipulation?

She was so busy with her thoughts that she almost didn't hear the manager call her name. She almost toppled over. "Sir?"

"Stop spacing out, Mogami. You have a visitor."

"What? We're going to start filming now…"

"We can wait for five minutes. He says he won't move unless he talks to you."

He? Kyoko's heart made a little leap, but it settled again when she was lead towards the dressing rooms. Her grudges hissed when they saw Sho leaning against the wall. "Well, well, well," he said. "If it isn't Chicken Little."

She sighed. "Are you actually holding back the team again? I thought we went through this once before."

He sneered, but the look lacked venom. He actually looked a little bit… sincere. "Look, I wanted to talk to you, but LME wouldn't let me have your phone number."

"Maybe they wouldn't let you have it because you're annoying," she said and turned to leave. "Stop being a child, Shotarou. We have nothing left to say to each other."

"Wait!" He reached for her hand… er, wing, and then stopped himself. "I heard you and Tsuruga aren't together after all. I… um, I'm glad. He's not good enough for you."

"That's really not up to you to decide."

"Yeah, well… I thought I ought to do something good for you, at least once. You were looking after me for so long."

"Are you still trying to pay me back?" she said, contempt dripping from her tone. "Why can't you just let this go, Sho? It doesn't matter. I'm fine. You're fine. Let's just go on our separate ways and leave off."

"So what, now you're going to pretend you don't know me? Like the first fifteen years of your life meant nothing."

"No, that's more up your lane," she said, and felt bad instantly. There she was again, letting him get to her, when she thought she had outgrown this. "Why do we keep doing this?"

"What?"

"This. We used to be friends, and now all we do is go at each others' throat every time we're in the same room. Can't we just… let it go? Just admit that we both made some stupid decisions and get on with our lives?"

Sho looked off-balance. He was prepared for everything – anger, sarcasm, tears of rage – but the truth. And he found he had no answer to her.

Kyoko gave him a minute for a comeback, and then left. This whole thing was pointless.

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><p>She went to where she was supposed to enter the stage. She was so busy with the chicken mask that she almost collided with someone else. A seven-foot tall rabbit. "Oh, sorry," she said, and then gave a double take. "Wait, what are you doing here?"<p>

Before the rabbit could answer, Hikaru appeared from behind her and gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Kyoko-chan, it's a sudden change of plans. The screen-writer wanted to introduce something different this time, and we're having two mascots instead of one. This is Corn."

She was dreaming. This was a dream. There was no way such a big change could happen without everyone being told of it. And… Corn? This was a dream, and a crazy one at that. But then the rabbit removed its head, and, sure enough, Tsuruga Ren was in the suit and bowed low.

"Good Day, Kyoko-san. Let's work well together today."

She barely had time to formulate a response before Hikaru left them alone and the countdown began for the episode. She quickly put on her mask, and Ren did the same, and they stood in the entrance, ready for their cue.

Okay… so apparently Ren was starring in Bridge Rock with her today, and he was going to be a mascot too. Fine, she could work with that. She was Miracle Actress Kyoko, there was nothing she couldn't do. "Just follow my lead," she said. "And you'll be fine."

In the confines of the rabbit suit, Ren grinned like a maniac.

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><p>"So, Fuwa-kun, tell us about your new single," Shinichi said, hoping to break the ice. The moody star had already shot down three questions and the manager was fuming in the side lines. No matter how many times Shoko-san had given him the cut, he still did what he did.<p>

The only highlight had been Bo and Corn, who, in the background, had pretended to be rock musicians. Corn, the high and mighty one, who constantly got tripped up by Bo. Their pantomime was pretty good, especially because every time Fuwa acted like a child, Corn deliberately took a harder fall.

Hikaru was almost sorry for Tsuruga, but the guy had assured him that he would fall as many times as he liked and wouldn't hurt himself.

But it was funny. And it took the audience's minds away from the failure with Fuwa.

Kyoko was on the edge. She was acutely aware of the fact that Sho was blowing this whole episode and she needed to step up her act. She also worried about Ren, and whether he'd be able to follow through. She flinched every time he fell, wondering if he broke something, but he never did. It was like the man was made of rubber – ugly animal costume or not, he knew his stuff.

"…It's a song about heartbreak," Sho was saying. She snapped out of her reverie and realized that he had only spoken one sentence. She panicked, wondering about what reaction she should pull, and then realized she didn't have to. Ren had flopped on his back, hands dramatically over his chest, as if he was having a heart attack.

Or… what if he was?

_NO! _

She dropped to her knees by his side, and fluttered her wings around, trying to get her fingers out to find a pulse. She somehow got one hand under his head and moved him upward, and then…

The rabbit moved forward and their masks pressed for the briefest of moments, before he hopped to his feet. She stood motionless before the audience burst into applause, and realized what he had done. He'd kissed her!

Well, Corn had kissed Bo, but still…

Oh, boy, the fanfics that would be written!

She burst into action, fluttering her wings madly, but Corn was already onto the next act. No way! She wasn't letting him take the lead.

They ran around the studio, with Ren choosing his route carefully so that Kyoko wouldn't trip over any stay wires, and then slowed enough for her to land a chicken-karate chop to his side. He then made a show of falling down, while she made a show of dusting off her hands.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten about Sho. Even the Bridge Rock trio. But Kyoko hadn't – she shot her old friend a look over her shoulder, and it was one that would translate even through the mask of a chicken. _Fix this, or die!_

Sho, never to disappoint, cleared his throat and launched into his spiel.

"The song is about a boy who wants the world—" here, Ren pretended to reach for the light bulb, while Kyoko smacked him on the back of his head, "—but he never seems to get what he wants. There is a girl, to whom he's talking to, who has stayed by his side throughout all this time. He goes through all the stages of grief when his dream won't come true – anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance – with her, and in the end realizes that she's all he needs. But it's too late – she has left him."

It was a very sincere song, Kyoko thought while she waited for Ren to make a reaction. But he didn't. He was looking at her. She was looking at him. And she realized that this pretty much applied to them as well. Maybe Sho hadn't intended it like this, but there it was. She was the girl Ren let go because he was too stupid. And he knew it.

"That's very sad," Hikaru said. "How does it end?"

"Huh? What do you mean? I just told you. It's a tragedy."

Ren and Kyoko exchanged a look, then they both gave Sho a stern stare-down. So what? He was just going to give up? Let the love of his life go? Well, then he deserved to be unhappy.

Corn made a step towards her, and she froze. Her heart started beating fast. Somehow, the lights seemed a lot brighter, and they were suddenly in their place in Kyoto. She knew she was being silly – it was just Ren in an animal costume, but she couldn't help but feel warm. Then, with a flourish, he dropped to one knee and presented her with a paper rose. She laughed, took it and then presented him with a paper bouquet. The audience roared its appreciation while the Bridge Rock crew whistled and applauded.

"I think what Bo and Corn are trying to say here," Hikaru explained, "Is that you have to fight for the person you love. Maybe you should change the ending, Fuwa-kun."

"Yeah," Sho muttered. "Maybe I should."

* * *

><p>A minute later, the lights were on Sho as he took center stage and the microphone. Whether it was his recent conversation with Kyoko or the display the chicken and rabbit had put up, his voice was so full of raw emotion that it tore the hearts of every woman in the audience.<p>

Or, nearly every woman. When the lights had blinded Sho for the rest of the world, Bo and Korn had slipped into their nook behind the scenes and taken off the animal heads. Kyoko and Ren were both sweating and red-face, but their eyes were bright with excitement. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"That was…"

"Amazing!"

"You did so well!"

"Only because you led me to it."

"No way," Ren shook his head. "That was all you. You can tell you love this role, Kyoko-chan. You're really one with it."

She blushed deeply and bowed her head. And then it occurred to her – he knew who she was. He had somehow figured it out. Her cheeks burned harder than ever and she wished the floor would swallow her up. Only… he didn't look mad. And hadn't she decided to stop apologizing for everything she did. She braved to look at him in the eye, and for once his divine smile didn't hurt her. She actually felt quite warm.

"You don't seem mad," she said.

"How can I be? This is your role," he said. "Although it all adds up to a pretty interesting comedy of errors."

"Indeed. But… how come you're on this show? They told me it was very last minute…"

"Ah, that… I have to confess, it's because of me." Ren seemed embarrassed. "I needed to talk to you, and I needed to do it now. So I came up here, but they wouldn't let me in because they would start filming any moment now. So I went and convinced the manager."

"What… what did you say to him?" Knowing the manager, some pretty smooth talking must have happened.

"I told him, "Excuse me, sir, but I must confess to your chicken.""

Kyoko, not knowing how to react, burst into hysterical laughter. And then it died down, replaced by dread. Oh, God. "Ren, you don't have to…"

"Please," he said, holding his hands up. "I'm sorry if this makes you uneasy. I promise, I'm not looking for a reaction out of you. But I need to say these things, and I hope you will allow me to do it."

She nodded, slowly. Ren took a deep breath. _Don't screw this up!_

"It… seems like we never fully understand each other," he said. "And my most important secrets are always told to you. I know it may seem odd, but I truly care for you. I… I love you. I don't know for how long, but… well, actually, you helped me realize what it was."

Kyoko ducked her head, blushing. He reached out and touched her cheek, making her look up. "I realized I loved you, but I was too scared. I told myself I wasn't for you and that only made me worse when it looked like someone made a pass on you. I lashed out, acting like a jealous jerk, and I'm sorry."

"We all made some pretty weird mistakes, huh?" she said, smiling. "I'm not saying it was right, but… I understand, at least."

He nodded. "But… I want you to know, I'm working on fixing it. All of it. I'm talking to my parents. I'm seeing someone for my problems."

She stared. "Why? I mean, it's been nearly six years. Why now?"

"Talking to you, I realized something I should have realized a long time ago. I came to Japan to make a new me, but all I did was bury my head in the sand and ignore all the garbage around me. I wasted precious time I should have spent with my parents. And… I don't know how much I have left." He swallowed. "Obviously, my strategy didn't work for me – I ended up pushing away the only girl I love."

Kyoko took a deep breath, shrugged her hand out of the suit and reached out to touch his face. "What you're doing is very brave. I can't imagine how hard it must be, or how it is for you. But I admire you for this. Most people would be content to bury their heads in the sand."

"I know. I… don't expect you to say anything. Not really. But I don't want to keep secrets from you. From now on, I want you to know that I'll work even harder than before. I will prove myself worthy of trust. And if some day you decide to forgive me, and give me another chance… I swear I won't blow it. I swear it. I'd rather cut my hand off than disappoint you again."

Her eyes filled up, because, really, what is there to say to this? All her years, what her orphaned heart had wanted most was for somebody to love her, unconditionally and powerfully, and go to the world's end for her. She loved him. And, for some reason, her heart felt strong enough to take it.

She caressed his face and leaned in until their foreheads touched. "I'm giving it to you now. You better remember that promise."

The look on his face made it abundantly clear that he would. His eyes were on her and her alone, like she was the most important thing in the world, and that she would be until the end of time.

They kissed, (but not too passionately. There is only so much hot action you can get in a bulky animal suit). They undressed (separately), and then got out, both clad in their pink Love Me! jumpsuits. He took her hand and she blushed prettily as she leaned in for another kiss. They progressed, slowly down the corridor, until they almost reached the lobby.

"I should probably warn you," he said. "A lot of people saw me drive over. Chances are, fans are flocking the street."

She peeked around the corner and, sure enough, there were faces pressed against the glass windows at every side. She turned to look at him. "Ready to send that LME press release to hell then?"

He grinned and swung her in his arms, bridal style. "You're a demon on a bike, but I've got the longest legs here. You think I can outrun them?"

She laughed. "Go for it!"

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><p><strong>One last AN: Once again, Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for sticking with this story, your reviews really made it worth it. Happy Holidays, and lots of love.**

**F.S.**


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